Effects Of Fresh And Fermented Aqueous Fraction Of Crude Palm Oil On Liver Marker Enzymes And Other Liver Parameters Using Male Wistar Albino Rats:- Ogbonna, Chisom E

ABSTRACT This study investigated effects of fresh and fermented aqueous fraction of crude palm oil on liver marker enzymes and other liver parameters. The acute toxicity study of the aqueous fractions was carried out using eighteen (18) male wistar albino mice while forty-five (45) male wistar albino rats were used for the study on liver functions. The rats were grouped into 5 groups with group 1 having five (5) rats while group 2-5 had 10 rats each. Group 1 served as normal control and received 2ml/kg body weight of normal saline and the five rats each in group 2- 5 received lOOmg/kg, 200mg/kg, 400mg/kg and 600mg/kg body weight of the fresh and fermented aqueous fraction of crude palm oil respectively for 28 days. The results of the acute toxicity study of both the fresh and fermented aqueous fraction of crude palm oil showed that the aqueous fraction were relatively safe as no death or adverse reactions were observed in the mice after 24 hours ofthe administration of the aqueous fractions. There were significant (p< 0.05) dosedependent increase in all the liver marker enzymes (AST, ALT and ALP) assayed in all the groups administered different doses ofthe fresh and fermented aqueous fraction of crude palm oil when compared with the normal control. Thus, suggesting that rats administered both graded doses of fresh and fermented aqueous fraction of crude palm oil respectively might have suffered different degrees of liver damage with respect to the normal control. The total protein concentrations of group 2 and 3 that received low doses of the fresh aqueous fraction of crude palm oil decreased significantly (p> 0.05) when compared to the normal control. However, group 4 and 5 that received higher doses of the same fraction showed significant (p< 0.05) increase in their total protein concentrations when compared to the normal control which could be attributed to the fresh aqueous fraction having little or no toxic effects on the liver at very low concentration and pronounced toxic effects on liver integrity and functions at higher concentration. The rats administered low doses (group 2 and 3) of the different concentrations of the aqueous fraction both fresh and fermented aqueous fraction of crude palm oil showed significant (p< 0.05) decrease in total protein concentration with respect to the normal control while group 4 and 5 that received higher doses of fermented fraction showed significant (p< 0.05) increase in total protein concentration. All the groups administered graded doses ofthe fresh aqueous fraction including group 2 and 3 administered low doses of the fermented aqueous fraction showed significant (p< 0.05) decrease in direct bilirubin concentration. However, group 4 and 5 administered higher doses of the fermented fraction showed significant (p< 0.05) increase in direct bilirubin concentration when compared to normal control. The findings ofthis study suggest that the fresh and fermented aqueous fraction of crude palm oil could cause significant liver damage despite the result ofthe acute toxicity study which showed that they are relatively safe.