Animal study reveals the hepatoprotective effects of Lasianthera africana

Scientists from the University of Port Harcourt in Nigeria examined the hepatoprotective properties of Lasianthera africana, a shrub native to central Africa. Their findings were published in the Journal of Integrative Medicine.

• The team investigated L. africana‘s ability to protect the liver from isoniazid (INH)- and rifampicin (RIF)-induced liver damage.
• The team used a rodent model of oxidative liver damage for RIF and INH (100 mg/kg each) in Wistar rats. They then treated the rats with hot aqueous leaf extract from L. africana (HALA) (0.1–1 g/kg) and silymarin (50 mg/kg) for 28 days.
• Biomarkers for liver damage were assessed; these included alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP). In addition, the team also evaluated plasma glutathione peroxidase (GSPx), glutathione reductase (GSH), catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) and lipid peroxidation.
• Pretreatment with HALA extract and silymarin caused a significant increase in liver biomarkers, which have initially been reduced by INH and RIF.
• In addition, pretreatment with HALA extract and silymarin caused a decrease in total triglyceride, total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein levels.
• The pretreatment also caused high-density lipoprotein, bicarbonate and electrolyte (chloride and potassium) levels to increase.
• Antioxidant levels for GSH, GSPx, SOD and CAT levels were elevated and malondialdehyde levels were reduced after pretreatment with HALA extract and silymarin.
• Histopathological tests also revealed that HALA extract and silymarin have hepatoprotective properties.

In sum, HALA extract was shown to reduce the effect of RIF-NIH hepatotoxicity.

Journal Reference:

Nwidu LL, Teme RE. HOT AQUEOUS LEAF EXTRACT OF LASIANTHERA AFRICANA (ICACINACEAE) ATTENUATES RIFAMPICIN-ISONIAZID-INDUCED HEPATOTOXICITY. Journal of Integrative Medicine. 2018 May 8. DOI: 10.1016/j.joim.2018.05.001