Effect of Aqueous Leaf Extract of Ocimum gratissimum on Antiretroviral Drug-Induced Hepatotoxicity in Rats | Chapter 13 | Recent Advances in Biological Research Vol. 4
Aim: Hepatotoxicity, among other adverse effects, constitutes one of the greatest impediments to successful antiretroviral drug therapy (ART) in HIV/AIDS patients. The main objective of the study was to determine if the aqueous leaf extract of Ocimum gratissimum has a protective effect on ART-induced hepatotoxicity in rats. Place and Duration: Department of Pharmacology, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu University, Nigeria (six months duration). Methodology: Twenty five (25) albino rats of both sexes were divided into 5 groups of 5 each and treated as follows: Group A (no antiretroviral drugs, no extract); group B (antiretroviral drugs alone); group C (extract alone); group D (antiretroviral drug plus 40 mg/kg extract); group E (antiretroviral drug plus 80 mg/kg extract). All treatment lasted for twenty eight days. Blood samples were collected and serum alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartate transaminase (AST) determined using UV-spectrophotometer. Thereafter, the animals were s...