Evaluation of the Hepatotoxic Potential of Methanol Leaf Extract of Menta piperitha Using Animal Model

Abstract

The aim of this research work was to evaluate the hepatotoxic potential of methanol leaf extract of M. piperita. Freshly harvested leaf of M. piperita was dried at room temperature and afterwards ground to fine powder. 500 g of powdered plant sample was soaked in 70% methanol for 72 hr. This was followed by the filtration of the extract which was subsequently concentrated. Twenty five adult male wistar rats were divided into five groups of five rats. Group I (normal control) was fed rat chow and water only. Group II was administered with 100 mg/kg body weight (b.w) of extract orally, Group III was administered with 200 mg/kg bw of extract orally, Group IV was administered with 400 mg/kg bw of extract orally, Group V was administered with 600 mg/kg bw of extract orally. Administration of extract lasted for 14 days after animals were sacrificed and blood sample collected. Biochemical analysis was determined using standard procedures. The results obtained from this study revealed a non-significant (P>0.05) difference in the activity of Alanine transaminase (ALT), Aspartate transaminase (AST) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) of rats administered with the extract compared with the normal control (30.00±1.01 IU/L), (32.02±1.01 IU/L) and (20.50±0.04 IU/L) respectively. Similar observation was made on Total and Conjugated Bilurubin as well as on the weight of the liver harvested from the rats. In conclusion, it could be deduced from this study that methanol leaf extract of M. piperita is not hepatotoxic.