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ABSTRACT
This study investigated the effect of 50% ethanol extract from sclerotia of Pleurotus tuberregium on the hepatocellular integrity of wistar rats treated with carbon tetrachloride (CCl4). Twelve (12) rats were divided into four groups of three animals each. Group 1 (negative control) received only CCl4 in olive oil subcutaneously (1:1, 2 ml/kg body weight per day). Group 2 rats were orally given the standard drug Silymarin (100 mg/kg body weight) and simultaneously administered with CCl4 with equal volume of olive oil subcutaneously. Group 3 rats were orally given aqueous extract of Pleurotus tuberregium (500 mg/kg body weight) simultaneously administered with equal volume of CCl4 and olive oil subcutaneously and Group 4 rats were orally given aqueous extract of Pleurotus tuberregium, (1000mg/ kg body weight) simultaneously administered with equal volume of CCl4 and olive oil subcutaneously. All rats were also administered standard feed and water. Activities of liver marker enzymes, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were determined in serum. Subcutaneous administration of carbon tetrachloride (2 ml/kg body weight per day) for 7 consecutive days caused hepatotoxicity. There was an increase in the activity of serum ALT, AST and ALP in the liver. Simultaneous treatment with 500 mg/kg body weight of ethanol extract and CCl4 for 7 consecutive days resulted in a decrease in the activities of liver marker enzymes [ALT (43.79±0.99), AST (25.67±0.56) and ALP (18.68±0.86)]. The activities were further decreased [ALT (21.63±0.29), AST (19.07±0.25) and ALP (16.54±2.35)] when the extract was increased to 1000 mg/kg body weight. These findings, therefore, suggest that the ethanol extract from the sclerotia of Pleurotus tuberregium has a protective effect against carbon tetrachloride-induced liver damage.
