Hepatoprotective Effect Of Crude Aqueous Leaf Extract Of Fig Tree Ficus Benjamina On Ethanol-Induced Liver Damage In Mice

Alcoholic abuse remains to be the most common cause of liver cirrhosis with significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. Herbal supplements are being used to prevent damage in excessive alcohol intake and including hepatitis from other causes as hepatoprotective agents. Fig tree is currently being utilized in studies as a potential candidate for hepatoprotection but with limited success. This study determined the hepatoprotective effect of crude aqueous leaf extract of fig tree Ficus benjamina on ethanol-induced hepatotoxicity in mice. In this study fifteen Balbc mice were assigned to negative control positive control and treatment groups which received distilled water Silymarin and F. benjamina crude aqueous leaf extract respectively on day 0 to day 14. Ethanol-induced hepatotoxicity was done on day 7 to day 14 using ethanol given by oral gavage. Assessment of liver function and histology was done with the use of alanine aminotransferase ALT assay and histopathological study respectively. Results showed significant reduction of ALT levels in the treatment 52.40 UL and the positive control groups 42.58 UL as compared with the negative control group with a mean of 196.88 UL P0.05. The difference between the positive and treatment groups was not significant P0.05. The degree of hepatic injury was significantly severe in the negative control group than with the treatment and positive control groups P0.05. On the other hand the degree of hepatic injury showed no significant difference between the positive and treatment groups P0.05. Thus the crude aqueous leaf extract of F. benjamina has hepatoprotective property on ethanol-induced hepatotoxicity in mice similar to Silymarin. F. benjamina as an ornamental plant may be a source of phytochemical with potential pharmaceutical and functional activities.