ASSESSMENT OF HEPATOPROTECTIVE ACTIVITY OF MUSA PARADISICA LINN. WHOLE PLANT EXTRACT AGAINST CARBON TETRACHLORIDE INDUCED HEPATOTOXICITY IN WISTAR RATS

Ethonolic whole plant extract of Musa paradisica has a multiple pharmacological activities including antimicrobial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, anticancer effects. The present study aims to determine the effect of Musa paradisica on serum and tissue superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels and the histology in carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄)-induced liver injury. Wister rats aged were injected Intraperitoneally with 50% CCl₄ in olive oil. Musa paradisica was orally administered before or after CCl4 treatment in various groups. Twenty-four hours after CCl₄ injection, serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activities, serum and liver superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities were measured and Histological changes of liver were examined by microscopy. Serum ALT and AST activities significantly decreased in a dose-dependent manner in both pre-treatment and post-treatment groups with ethonolic whole plant extract of Musa paradisica. The present study demonstrates that Musa paradisica possesses hepatoprotective effects against CCl₄– induced hepatotoxicity and that the effects are both preventive and curative. Musa paradisica should have potential for developing a new drug to treat liver toxicity.