Effect of administration of aqueous extract of Bambusa vulgaris leaves on some biochemical variables of rat liver and serum
ABSTRACT
The effect of aqueous extract of Bambusa vulgaris leaves on some biochemical variables of rat liver and serum was studied. Twenty-four female albino rats (Rattus novergicus) were used and they were divided into four groups of 6 rats each. Group A (control) was administered 1 ml of distilled water. The experimental groups namely B, C and D were administered 80, 100 and 120 mg/kg body weight of the extract respectively. The extract was administered every 12 h for seven days after which the rats were sacrificed and the activities of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), acid phosphatase (ACP), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate amino transferase (AST) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity as well as malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration were determined. The extract caused a significant reduction (P < 0.05) in ALP activities in the liver and significant increase (P < 0.05) in the serum at the three doses administered. The extract also significantly increased ACP activities (P < 0.05) in the liver and serum in all the treatment groups when compared with controls. ALT and AST activities were significantly lowered in the liver in all the groups while there was a significant elevation in the serum when compared with controls. The SOD activity and MDA concentration were significantly elevated (P < 0.05) in all the treatment groups in both the liver and serum when compared with controls. The pattern of results show that the aqueous extract of B. vulgaris leaves may contain some toxic substances which might cause overload of the endogenous biotransformation capacity of hepatic cells.
