The Effects of Ethanol Leaf-Extract of Pterocarpus santalinoides on Liver Enzymes of Albino Rats

The effects of ethanol leaf-extract of Pterocarpus santalinoides on liver enzymes were investigated in albino rats using spectrophotometric methods. Sixteen albino rats were grouped into four (A, B, C and D). Animals were administered the extract through oral intubation at the doses (mg/kg) of 0, 200, 400 and 600 respectively for two weeks. The blood samples were collected on the fifteenth day following the last day of administration. The alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activities (u/l) recorded 28.77±1.39, 27.72±1.52, 25.92±1.34 and 23.83±1.57 for the animals in groups A, B, C and D respectively with corresponding activities (u/l) of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) as 76.57±2.58, 74.99±1.62, 71.61±2.01 and 70.23±1.34. The alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activities (u/l) recorded 70.14±2.27, 67.04±2.32, 65.17±1.87 and 59.19±2.04 for the animals in groups A, B, C and D respectively. The results recorded a significant (p<0.05) dose-dependent decrease in the activities of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase of the animals that received the ethanol leaf-extract of Pterocarpus santalinoides. Thus ethanol leaf-extract of Pterocarpus santalinoides could be hepato-protective.