Effect of ethanol extract of Gouania Longipetala on the lipid profile of acetaminophen-overdosed albino rats:- Etukudo, Inibehe F

ABSTRACT ix Gouania longipetala is one of the medicinal plants that have been shown to possess some ethno-medicinal properties with little scientific evidence. This study was conducted to determine the effects on the lipid profile properties of ethanol extract of G. longipetala leaves in acetaminophen-intoxicated albino rats. Twenty (20) albino rats were used for this study and were divided into five groups. Group 1 was the normal control and was fed vital growers feed and water only ad libitum, while group 2 was given 1.5g/kg of body weight (mg/kg b.w) of acetaminophen only without extract administration. Groups 3, 4 and 5 were administered acetaminophen with co-administration of oral 200, 600 and 1000 mg/kg b.w of the extract, respectively. The administration lasted for a period of 14 days and blood sample collected via cardiac puncture. The serum was used for biochemical assays using standard methods of analysis. There were a significant (p<0.05) decrease and increase in LDL and HDL, respectively of the groups administered the extracts when compared with that administered only acetaminophen. There were also a significant (p<0.05) reduction in cholesterol and triacylglycerol levels when those treated with the extract compared with the acetaminophen-only group but significantly (p<0.05) higher than the normal control. Furthermore, the result also showed that there was a significant (p<0.05) reduction in serum phospholipid when groups treated with the extract were compared with the normal control and the paracetamolintoxicated group. From the results obtained in this study, it can be concluded that the ethanol extract of G. longipetala leaves possesses a lipid-lowering and, by extension cardioprotective effects and thus a candidate in the management of paracetamol-induced toxicity