IN-VIVO EVALUATION OF THE EFFECTS OF ETHANOLIC LEAF EXTRACT OF Gongronema latifolia ON ASPARTATE AMINOTRANSFERASE (AST) AND BILIRUBIN SECRETIONS IN ALBINO RATS

¹ Ugwu Godwin Chigozie and ² Eze Emmanuel Ikechukwu

¹ Department of Science Laboratory Technology, University of Nigeria, Nsukka

² Department of Crop Science, University of Nigeria, Nsukka

E-mail: godtech4real@yahoo.com; emmaclems2003@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT

Blood samples from four groups of albino rats with four rats per group were analyzed for aspartate aminotransferase and bilirubin secretions. The analysis was carried out in two phases; phase 1 and phase 2. In phase one, which is the zero analysis, the weights of the animals were taken and the blood samples were collected through the nostril after an ocular puncture to analyse for AST and Bilirubin secretions. In phase 2, group A, B, and  C were administered 500 mg/kg, 250 mg/kg and 125 mg/kg of G.latifolia leaf extract while the control (group D) were administered only tragacant solution. After three weeks of administration, their blood samples were collected using the same method to monitor the effects of the extract on both AST and bilirubin secretions. The results showed that there was a 25 % increase in weights of the rats and a decrease in the values of AST and bilirubin secretions in the rats except in the control that were not administered the extract. This means that G. latifolia leaf extract may have healing effects on the liver. Keywords: Leaf extract, Gongronema latifolia, Aspertate Aminotransferase, Bilirubin