Authors : C.S. Ezeonu, P.A.C. Egbuna, L.U.S. Ezeanyika, C.G. Nkwonta and N.D. Idoko
Abstract: The antihepatotoxic effect of ethanolic extract of ginger (Zingiber officinale) against CCl4 (10 mL kg-1 body weight) were investigated. Total 7 groups of rats were used in the investigation with alternative methods of administration of ginger extract and CCl4 both at 24 h intervals as well as simultaneous administrations. All the administration methods involved injection of the substances intraperitoneally. Serum Glutamate Pyruvate Transaminase (SGPT) and Serum Glutamate Oxaloacetate Transaminase (SGOT) decreased significantly (p<0.05) when ginger ethanolic extract was administered first (1000 mg kg-1 body weight) followed by CCl4 24 h later. Injection of CCl4 followed by ethanolic ginger extract 24 h later gave a reduction in the serum enzyme but not as much as when ginger extract was first administered. The same result above was also obtained for lipid peroxidation production. Protein synthesis was not affected by the various groups although, CCl4 and ethanolic extract of ginger caused increase in serum protein which did not show any significant increase (p>0.05). Inorganic phosphate was increased by both CCl4 and ethanolic extract administration. Fraction D was shown to have more hepatoprotective effect than even the ethanolic extract itself. Administration of ginger extract and CCl4 simultaneously had the least hepatoprotective effect. Thus, preventive intraperitoneal administration of ginger ethanolic extract before liver injury had the highest efficacy against hepatotoxic induction using CCl4.
C.S. Ezeonu, P.A.C. Egbuna, L.U.S. Ezeanyika, C.G. Nkwonta and N.D. Idoko, 2011. Antihepatotoxicity Studies of Crude Extract of Zingiber officinale on CCl4 Induced Toxicityand Comparison of the Extract’s Fraction D Hepatoprotective Capacity. Research Journal of Medical Sciences, 5: 102-107.