____________________________________________________________________________________________ *Corresponding author: Email: abiodun.adebayo@covenantuniversity.edu.ng; European Journal of Medicinal Plants 4(8): 979-989, 2014 SCIENCEDOMAIN international www.sciencedomain.org Protective Properties of Citrullus lanatus on Carbon Tetrachloride Induced Liver Damage in Rats Abiodun Humphrey Adebayo 1* , Omolara Faith Yakubu 1 and Tolulope Mariam Balogun 1 1 Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Unit, Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science and Technology, Covenant University, PMB 1023, Canaan land, Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria. Authors’ contributions This work was carried out in collaboration between all authors. Author AHA designed the study, performed the statistical analysis, wrote the protocol, and wrote the first draft of the manuscript. Author OFY carried out the experimental and proof read the manuscript and Author TMB also did the experimental, literature searches, and managed the analyses of the study. ‘All authors read and approved the final manuscript. Received 22 nd February 2014 Accepted 9 th April 2014 Published 4 th June 2014 ABSTRACT Aim: This study was conducted to investigate the effects of the leaf extract of Citrullus lanatus on carbon tetrachloride (CCl 4 ) induced liver damage in rats. Methodology: Hepatoprotective study was conducted using five groups (A-E) of six male rats per group. Groups A and B served as the control groups and were respectively administered with distilled water and CCl 4 in olive oil while groups C, D and E were administered respectively with 500, 1,000 and 1,500mg/kg body weight of the ethanolic leaf extract of C. lanatus for 7 days. Animals were subsequently anaesthetized, blood samples were collected for alanine amino transferase (ALT), aspartate amino transferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total bilirubin, total protein and albumin assays; liver organ was isolated and processed for biochemical and histopathological studies. Results: There were significant increases (P=0.05) in the serum levels of ALT and AST both in the plasma and liver homogenate in the group treated with CCl 4 as compared to negative control group; while in the extract treated group, there was a decrease in the levels of the aminotransferases. Histopathological studies showed severe portal Original Research Article