LIVER FUNCTION TEST AND OXIDATIVE STRESS BIOMARKERS OF LEAD INDUCED WISTAR RATS TREATED WITH CITRULLUS LANATUS SEEDS ETHANOLIC EXTRACT

ABSTRACT The use of medicinal plants in most developing nations is a development that has attracted more concerns among health workers and researchers. Herbal medicine is based on the premise that plants contain natural substances that can promote health and alleviate illness. The bioactive constituents of Citrullus lanatus have been identified in almost all parts of the fruit. Based on the phytochemical analysis, flavonoids, saponins, and alkaloids are more abundant in the seeds. These seeds have been the subject of many research activities. Some of its advantages include antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potentials, others may have bioactive compound with unknown mechanism of action but yield positive result when use as medicinal agent. This study is an experimental design which is aimed at examining the Liver function test and oxidative stress biomarkers of lead induced wistar rats treated with ethanolic extract of Citrullus lanatus seeds. 25 matured healthy male rats were used for this study to determine the hepatoprotective effect of the seeds ethanolic extract (70%) on the lead induced rat models. Lead acetate at a dose of 30mg/kg body weight was administered together with the seeds extract for 21days. A positive control group was also used where ascorbic acid was used as treatment instead of the seeds extract. On the 22nd day, Liver function test parameters like total protein (g/l), albumin (g/l), aspartate aminotransferase (u/l) and alanine aminotransferase (u/l) were analyzed. The oxidative stress biomarkers like malonialdehyde, superoxide dismutase and zinc value were also analyzed. Citrullus lanatus seed extract showed significant dose-dependent increase in albumin, SOD, and zinc while dose dependent decrease were seen in total protein, AST, ALT and MDA compared to the positive and negative control group in the lead induced rats. The results indicate that Citrullus lanatus seed extract significantly reduce lead induced oxidative stress by stimulating antioxidant activity, which in turns protect the liver from damage by oxidative stress.