ABSTRACT
Parkiabiglobosa, commonly known as African locust beans, is a plant species native to Africa that has been traditionally used in African cuisine and medicine. The liver is the organ in charge of the body's fat digestion and waste elimination and it plays a role in the synthesis of nutrients including albumin and bile. P. biglobosa has been shown to have several health benefits, including its ability to protect the liver against oxidative stress. Aspirin is one of the most commonly used drugs worldwide and it is an effective pain medication, especially in the treatment of a diverse range of conditions such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus, cancer prevention and obstetric. Aspirin is one of the medications which can lead to drug-induced liver injury (DILI) and P. biglobosa is used in the local treatment of hypertension and hepatitis. It is against this backdrop that this study is aimed at investigating the hepatocellular effects of Parkiabiglobosa on aspirin-induced liver toxicity in male wistar rats, precisely the protection, ameliorative, and counter effect of Parkiabiglobosa extract against aspirin induced liver toxicity. A total of 30 albino wistar rats were grouped into six of five rats each in this study. Group 1–6 (neutral control, positive control, negative control, counter, preventive, and reversal groups). Parameters of liver bio-markers (AST, ALT, ALP, TB, TP, CB, Albumin,Globulin) and histopathological changes were assessed. The data generated was analyzed using statistical software SPSS version 20 (statistical package for social sciences). This study has shown that aspirin usage is capable of causing a damaging effect on the liver, as seen by the elevated AST value in the group administered with aspirin. Also, the increase in the value of ALT caused by aspirin use as observed in the present research is a clear signal that prolonged usage of aspirin can lead to liver damage. ALT is considered the most reliable hepato-cellular injury because it is more specific for liver damage since it is primarily found in the liver and has a long half life, whereas AST is found in many other organs. The significant decrease observed in the activities of ALT and AST in P. biglobosa-treated animals when compared to those induced without pretreatment showed that P. biglobosa protected the liver from damage by ethanol-induced oxidative stress. Histologically, group 1 and 2 showed normal features while group 3 showed slightly inflamed portal vein and steatosis due to aspirin induced injury on the liver. Group 4-6 showed slightly inflamed hepatic features which indicate little significant changes. This study suggests that Parkiabiglobosaseed extract has protective properties against the aspirin induced liver toxicity and further research is recommended to advance the study and understanding of the hepato-protective effects of Parkiabiglobosaagainst aspirin-induced hepato-toxicity.
