ABSTRACT

 This study was designed to investigate the effect of aqueous extract of Pluroteous ostreatus mushroom grown on HCl- soaked palm oil bunch on some serum liver enzymes (AST,ALT,ALP), total and direct bilirubin in wistar albino rats. Twenty four (24) male rats were divided into six (6) groups, groups 1, 2, 3,4, 5 and 6 . Each group consisted of four (4) rats each. 400mg/kg of the aqueous extract of Pleuroteus ostreatus mushroom were administered to all the treated groups. The administration was done orally for 21 days after which the rats were sacrificed and blood samples collected was assayed for serum AST, ALT, ALP, total and direct bilirubin. The result obtained from this study showed that there was a significant (P<0.05) decrease in AST(0.3% HCl), AL T(0.2% HCl, 0.4% HCl,0.5% HCl) and in direct bilirubin levels (when control was compared with other treated groups). Also 0.2% HCl showed a significant(P<0.05) decrease in ALP levels when compared with other treated groups. A significant (P<0.05) increase in total bilirubin levels (when control was compared with 0.1 % HCl.0.2% HCl,0.4%HCl and 0.5% HCl) as well as a non - significant (P>0.05) decrease in total bilirubin levels (when compared with 0.3% HCI) were also observed. The serum levels of ALT (0.1% HCI, 0.35% HCI), AST (0.1% HCI ,0.2%HC1 and 0.4% HCl) and total bilirubin levels (when control was compared with 0.3% HCI ) were non significant (P>0.05) statistically. The study showed that cultivation of Pleuroteus ostreatus mushroom grown on HCl- soaked palm oil bunch (POB) are not toxic to the liver coming from the biological roles they play which include antioxidant, anti cancer, antiflammatory , hepatoprotective , antibacterial , antinoceptive, antitumor and immunological activities .