Archives • 2014 • vol.2 •38-47 PROTECTIVE EFFECT OF AUTRANELLA CONGOLENSIS AND SAPIUM ELLIPTICUM STEM BARK EXTRACTS AGAINST HEPATOTOXICITY INDUCED BY THIOACETAMIDE Njouendou, A. J. 1,5 ; Nkeng-Efouet, A. P. 2,6* ; Assob Nguedia, J. C. 3 ; Chouna, J. R. 2,6 ; Veerapur, V. P. 4 ; Thippeswamy, B. S. 4 ; Badami, S. 4 ; Wanji, S. 1,5 1 Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Buea, P.O. Box 63, Buea Cameroon 2 Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Dschang, P.O. Box 67, Dschang Cameroon 3 Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Buea, P.O. Box 63, Buea Cameroon 4 Sree Siddaganga College of Pharmacy, Tumkur -572 102, Karnataka, India 5 Research Foundation for Tropical diseases and environment (REFOTDE), P.O. Box 474, Buea Cameroon 6 African Phyto-medicine Centre “Alango Foundation”, P.O. Box 371, Dschang Cameroun * pnfalango@yahoo.fr Abstract Autranella congolensis and Sapium ellipticum are two medicinal plants used in traditional medicine for the treatment of several ailments including liver injuries. In this study, the hepatoprotective activities of these extracts at two different doses (100 and 200 mg/kg) on rat model of thioacetamide induced hepatotoxicity was assessed by investigating biochemical and histopatological markers after 29 days of treatment. Elevated serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase, glutamate pyruvate transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, total bilirubin and direct bilirubin observed in thioacetamide toxic groups were restored toward the normal values, when animals received extract treatment at 100 and 200 mg/kg. Administration of thioacetamide lowered significantly the level of liver antioxidants markers superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione, and increased the level of lipid peroxidation, which were moderated in group of animals treated with both extracts at 100 and 200 mg/kg. The activity of liver microsome CYP2E1 was significantly high when animals received thioacetamide treatment; both extracts reduced the increase in enzyme activity. The histological and biochemical changes exhibited by Autranella congolensis and Sapium ellipticum extracts on toxic animals were comparable to those obtained with standard silymarin. The hepato-protective effects of SE and AC extracts observed in this study showed that these two medicinal plants are potential sources of anti-hepatotoxic drugs. Key words: Liver, thioacetamide, CYP2E1, Autranella congolensis and Sapium ellipticum August 30, 2014 _______________________________________ http://pharmacologyonline.silae.it ISSN: 1827-8620