Hepato-protective Potentials of Bryophyllum pinnatum Ethanolic Leaf Extract on Adrenaline-induced Liver Damage in Wistar Rats

Liver diseases hinders normal hepatocellular functions and is responsible for about 2 million deaths and account for 4% of global mortality. One of the causes of liver disease is increase in adrenergic activity and subsequent release of large amount of catecholamines. Adrenaline and other adrenergic agonist have been observed to cause liver stiffness and cirrhosis. Ethanolic leaf extract of Bryophyllum pinnatum is reported to have anti-apoptotic, hepato-protective, anti-oxidant activities. This study therefore was carried out to investigate the hepato-protective effect of Bryophyllum pinnatum extract in adrenaline induced liver cell damage in Wistar rats. Thirty-two (32) Wistar rats weighing between 150g-210g were divided into 4 groups of 8 rats each. Group 1 (control) received normal rat chow and drinking water; group 2 (Adrenaline group) was treated with 2 mg/kg bwt of adrenaline intramuscularly; group 3 (Extract only) received Bryophyllum pinnatum extract (600 mg/kg bwt), while group 4 had both adrenaline and extract treatments. All animals were allowed free access to normal rat feed and drinking water for 28 days. Thereafter, animals were sacrificed using 50 mg/100g ketamine intraperitoneally anesthesia. Blood was collected via cardiac puncture into plain sample bottles and centrifuged at 1000 rpm for 10 minutes for serum extraction. The results obtained showed significant (p<0.05) reductions in superoxide dismutase, glutathione and increase in MDA activities in the adrenaline treated groups compared with control. Intervention with Bryophyllum pinnatum significantly increased SOD and GSH towards normal levels, with a corresponding decrease in MDA level. The total bilirubin level decreased while conjugated bilirubin increased significantly (p<0.05) in the adrenaline treated groups compared with other groups. Total bilirubin was increased and conjugated bilirubin reduced toward normal levels by administration of Bryophyllum pinnatum. The serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were significantly (p<0.05) increased in the adrenaline treated groups when compared with the control, which was reduced toward normal level by intervention of Bryophyllum pinnatum. The histology of the liver reviewed progressive micronodular cirrhotic tissue in the adrenaline treated group, administration of the extract ameliorated the menace. This study indicated that ethanolic leaf extract of Bryophyllum pinnatum has hepato-protective and anti-oxidant potentials as evidenced in its ability to reverse altered SOD, GSH, MDA, AST, ALT, ALP and bilirubin levels induced by adrenaline, and also reverses micronodular liver cirrhosis induced by adrenaline.