LIVER ENZYMES

The plant commonly known as the forest fever tree has been widely used in African traditional medicine for treating fever, jaundice, malaria, and liver-related disorders. Its hepatoprotective potential is attributed to its rich phytochemical composition, including flavonoids, alkaloids, terpenoids, and saponins. The study investigated the effect of methanol leaf extract of Anthocleista grandiflora on liver enzyme activities in Wistar rats. Fresh leaves were collected, authenticated, air-dried, pulverized, and extracted using methanol. Twenty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups of five rats each. The control group received distilled water, while the other groups were administered 200 mg/kg, 400 mg/kg, and 800 mg/kg body weight of the methanol extract daily for 28 days. Serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were determined as biomarkers of hepatic function using standard diagnostic methods. The results revealed no statistically significant (p > 0.05) differences between treated and control groups. ALT values ranged from 80.40 ± 3.79 to 101.40 ± 6.39 U/L, AST from 157.60 ± 4.33 to 169.40 ± 2.73 U/L, and ALP from 373.20 ± 19.78 to 451.00 ± 67.33 U/L. These results indicate that the methanol leaf extract of A. grandiflora did not induce hepatotoxicity at the tested doses. The stability of liver enzyme levels within normal physiological limits suggests that the extract maintained hepatic integrity and may possess hepatoprotective properties. The observed effects are attributed to the presence of antioxidant phytochemicals that prevent lipid peroxidation, stabilize hepatocyte membranes, and enhance cellular defense mechanisms. These findings support the traditional use of A. grandiflora in managing liver ailments and demonstrate its potential as a safe natural therapeutic agent. Further studies are recommended to isolate and characterize the specific bioactive constituents responsible for its hepatoprotective action