Ocimum gratissimum as a Remedy to Chemical Induced Liver Injury

Objective: Drug induced liver injury is one of the sequelae of adverse drug reactions. We studied the efficacy of aqueous extract of Ocimum gratissimum at ameliorating carbon tetrachloride induced liver injury.

Methodology: The study utilized five groups with six animals each. Liver injury was induced in groups L I (Liver injury), LDE (Low dose extract), MDE (Medium dose extract) and HDE (High dose extract) while group CN served as control. Groups LDE, MDE and HDE respectively had 100 mg/kg, 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg of the O.gratissimum aqueous extract daily for twenty one days.Blood samples were thereafter collected for biochemical analyses, the animals sacrificed and harvested livers processed for histopathological evaluation.

Results: The mean liver weight of LI was markedly elevated while its total protein level was significantly the least. Extract of O.gratissimum was able to counter the elevated levels of aspartate transaminase and amino transaminase occasioned by the induced liver injury.

High dose of O.gratissimum extract restored the activity of glutathione peroxidase hitherto depressed by carbon tetrachloride toxicity. Catalase and super oxide dismutase activities of all the three extract groups were significantly elevated in reference to the LI group. Lipid peroxidation was significantly minimized in the extract groups. The hepatic architecture was well preserved in all the extract groups.

Conclusion: Aqueous extract of O.gratissimum reversed chemical (carbon tetrachloride) induced liver injury via biochemical and structural mechanisms.