Ameliorating Effect of Combinedaqueous Extracts of Tetracarpidium Conophorum (Nuts) and Vernonia Amygdalina (Leaves) on Liver Enzymes of Alloxan Induced Diabetic Wistar Rats

Abstract

The present study evaluated the effect of combined treatment of aqueous extracts of Tetracarpidium conophorum (TCE) walnuts and Vernonia amygdalina (VAE) bitter leaves on some liver enzymes in alloxan induced diabetic Wistar rats. Forty-two (42) Wistar rats with weight range of 125-275g were grouped into 6 groups of 7 rats in each group. The first group served as the normal control while the remaining five groups were induced with diabetes using alloxan at 120 mg/kg body weight.  Group two served as diabetic control and the remaining groups were treated with 500 mg/kg TCE, 500 mg/kg VAE, combined extract of 500 mg/kg TCE and 500 mg/kg VAE and 7.69 mg/kg metformin respectively. The rats were treated orally once daily for 28 days. Three rats per group were sacrificed on the 14^th and 28^th day of treatment. The plasma levels of glucose, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), aspartate amino transferase (AST), alanine amino transferase (ALT).  The result showed that there was a significant reduction (p<0.05) in the blood glucose level of all the treated groups compared to the diabetic control. Also, the plasma levels of AST, ALT ALP (p<0.05) decreased in all treated groups compared to the untreated diabetic group. The histology of the liver of the treated groups showed that the plant extracts ameliorated   the effect of alloxan on the organ. In conclusion, the combined aqueous extracts of Tetracarpidiumconophorum nuts and Vernonia amygdalina leaves reduced the level of damage to the liver when administered to diabetic rats at the dosage used in this study.