Vol. 8(2), pp. 52-64, February 2014 DOI: 10.5897/AJBR2013.0741 ISSN 1996-0778 ©2014 AcademicJournals http://www.academicjournals.org/AJBR African Journal of Biochemistry Research Full Length Research Paper Effects of n-butanol fraction of Gongronema latifolium leave extract on some biochemical parameters in CCl 4 - induced oxidative damage in Wistar albino rats Okpala, J. C. 1 *, Sani, I. 1 , Abdullahi, R. 1 , Ifedilichukwu, H. N. 2 and Igwe, J. C. 2 1 Department of Biochemistry, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria. 2 Department of Medical Biotechnology, National Biotechnology Development Agency, Abuja, Nigeria. Accepted 16 January, 2014 Effects of n-butanol fraction of Gongronema latifolium leave extract on some biochemical parameters in carbon tetrachloride-induced oxidative damage in Wistar albino rats were assessed. Fifty-four (54) Wister albino rats were divided into treatment group and LD 50 groups. Group A (normal control) was given feed and water, Group B (vehicle control) was injected with olive oil intraperitoneally, while the rest groups (C, D, E, F and G) were injected intraperitoneally with a single dose of CCl 4 (148 mg/kg) as a 1:1 (v/v) solution in olive oil and all the animals were fasted for 36 h. This was repeated once every week for a period of four (4) weeks. At the end of 28 days of treatment, liver marker enzymes studies showed that there was significant (p<0.05) increase in the serum activities of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP)and bilirubin concentrations in CCl 4 - induced control group when compared with the normal control and induced treated groups but there was no significant (p>0.05) difference of these liver marker enzymes and bilirubin levels between the normal control and induced treated groups. Kidney function studies showed that there was significant (p<0.05) increase in creatinine and urea concentrations of CCl 4 -induced control group when compared with the normal control and induced treated groups but there was no significant (p>0.05) difference between the normal control and induced treated groups. Also, the kidney and liver antioxidant study revealed significant (p<0.05) decrease in superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities as well as an increase in MDA concentration in CCl 4 -induced control rats when compared with the normal control rats. Histological section of the organs shows that the levels of hepatic and renal damage were higher in CCl 4 -induction control rats when compared with the normal control and induced treated groups. These findings suggest that n-butanol fraction of methanolic leaves extract of G. latifolium may have anti-hepatotoxic, anti-nephrotoxic and antioxidative effects against CCl 4 -induced liver and kidney damage in albino rats. Key words: Gongronema latifolium, antioxidant, CCl 4 , liver, kidney. INTRODUCTION Gongronema latifolium (Asclepiadaceae), is a perennial climber forest leafy vegetable with woody hollow glaborous stems below and characterized by greenish yellow flowers (Okafor, 1989). It is widespread in tropical Africa such as Senegal, Chad and DR Congo as well as grows in the forest of south eastern and western Nigeria where it is widely used *Corresponding author. E-mail: judeokpch@yahoo.co.uk. Tel: +2348068670184.