Ameliorative Potentials of Vernonia amygdalina on Acetaminophen-induced Acute Liver Injury in Mice

Aims: To investigate the ameliorative potentials of Vernonia amygdalina on acetaminophen-induced liver injury in mice.

Methodology: Acetaminophen-induced acute liver injury was conducted on Swiss-albino mice weighing 25 - 30 g. Group A was maintained as a negative control (healthy liver) while group B was assigned as a positive control (damaged liver). Group C, D and E were orally administered 100 mg/kg, 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg of dried Vernonia amygdalina leaf extract, respectively. Meanwhile, group F, G and H were orally administered 100 mg/kg, 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg of fresh Vernonia amygdalina leaf extract, respectively, for 21 days. All mice were subjected to the assessment of symptoms including the severity of liver injury, biochemical assay and histological features. Phytochemical screening was also performed as per standard test methods.

Results: Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of biological active compounds including alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins and terpenoids. Steroids were found in dried Vernonia amygdalina leaf extract, but not in the fresh Vernonia amygdalina leaf extract. Compared to the pathological changes observed in the liver parenchyma, sinusoids and hepatocytes in the positive control group, lesions were determined to be less severe particularly in the group D receiving 200 mg/kg of dried Vernonia amygdalina leaf extract and group H receiving of 400 mg/kg of fresh Vernonia amygdalina leaf extract. This was in agreement with the biochemical assessment whose ALT and AST levels were significantly decreased into the normal range as compared to the negative and positive control groups. However, dose of 400 mg/kg dried Vernonia amygdalina leaf extract significantly elevated the serum ALT and AST.

Conclusion: Vernonia amygdalina has proven its ameliorative potentials on acetaminophen-induced liver injury in mice as determined by marked indicators on liver tissue and biochemical parameters including ALT and AST.