THE THAI JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES

Volume 44, No. 01, Month JANUARY, Year 2020, Pages 1 - 5

Comparative evaluation of the effects of n-hexane, chloroform, and methanol fractions of ricinus communis in carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatoto

Matthew Obaineh Ojezele

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Background: Ricinus communis is widely used among the Nigerian populace in ethnomedicine for the treatment of liver diseases. Aim of the Study: A comparative study was carried out to evaluate the hepatoprotective activity of its n-hexane, chloroform, and methanol fractions using carbon tetrachloride-(CCL4)-induced hepatotoxicity model. Materials and Methods: Thirty Wistar rats were randomized as follows: Negative control Group 1 received Tween 80 and positive Group 2 received CCL4 only. Treatment Groups (3, 4, and 5) received CCl4 + N-hexane, chloroform, and methanol fractions, 100 mg/kg, respectively. Standard reference, Group 6, received CCl4 + Silymarin, 100 mg/kg. The animals were treated for 7 consecutive days and hepatotoxicity was induced in Groups 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6 by a single oral administration of CCL4 (2 mL/kg). Thereafter, blood samples were collected for assay of hematological parameters and liver enzymes (aspartate aminotransferase [AST] and alanine aminotransferase [ALT]). Results: There were significant decrease (P < 0.05) in serum AST/ALT levels of animals treated with chloroform fraction (50.00 ± 6.01 μ/L/21.40 ± 0.98 μ/L) and methanol fraction (51.25 ± 2.88 μ/L/24.80 ± 1.52 μ/L). The chloroform fraction produced a better improvement in hematological parameters when compared with other treatment groups. Photomicrograph showed near-normal structural liver integrity of the rats administered chloroform fraction. Conclusions: This study validates the usefulness of R. communis in the treatment of hematological disorders in patients with hepatic disorders. The chloroform fraction could be a promising fraction for further investigation and characterization of hepatoprotective compound(s).

Keywords

Carbon tetrachloride, hematology, hepatoprotection, Ricinus communis, rodents

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