Research Article
O. M. Oluba, E. C. Onyeneke, G
Abstract
The present study was undertaken to investigate the hepatoprotective effect and antioxidant property of aqueous extract from Ganoderma lucidum (GLE) on carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)- induced hepatotoxicity in rats. Treatment with 200 mg/kg body weight of GLE for six consecutive weeks prior to the administration of CCl4 (1.5 ml/kg in olive oil, 20%) significantly prevented the increased serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activities, gamma glutamyltranspeptidase (γ-GT) and serum molodialdehyde (MDA) levels. The extract also induced the up-regulation of hepatic antioxidant enzymes namely superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione roxidase (GSH-Px) and glutathione reductase (GSSG-Rx) activities. In addition, pretreatment with GLE prior to CCl4 intoxication drastically reduced incidences of ballooning degeneration, necrosis and portal traditis which are direct consequence of CCl4-induced damage. These results attest to the hepatoprotective and antioxidant potentials of aqueous extract of G. lucidum in rats.