Abstract—Liver disorders are one of the major problems of the world. Despite its frequent occurrence, high morbidity and high mortality, its medical management is currently inadequate. This study was designed to evaluate the hepatoprotective effect of saponin extract of the root of Garcinia kola on the integrity of the liver of paracetamol induced wistar albino rats. Twenty five (25) male adult wistar albino rats were divided into five (5) groups. Group I was the Control group that received distilled water only, group II was the negative control that received 2 g/kg of paracetamol on the 13th day, and group III, IV and V were pre-treated with 100, 200 and 400mg/kg of the saponin extract before inducing the liver damage on the 13th day with 2 g/kg of paracetamol. Twenty four (24) h after administration, the rats were sacrificed and blood samples were collected. The serum Alanine Transaminase (ALT), Aspartate Transaminase (AST), Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP) activities, Bilirubin and conjugated bilirubin, glucose and protein concentrations were evaluated. The liver was fixed immediately in Formalin and was processed and stained in Haematoxylin and Eosin (H&E). Administration of saponin extract from the root of Garcinia kola significantly decreased paracetamol induced elevated enzymes in the test group. Also histological observations showed that saponin extract of the root of Garcinia kola exhibited a significant liver protection against the toxicant as evident by the cells trying to return to normal. Saponin extract from the root of Garcinia kola indicated a protection of structural integrity of the hepatocytic cell membrane and regeneration of the damaged liver. Keywords—Garcinia kola, Hepatoprotective, paracetamol, Saponin. I. INTRODUCTION IVER disorders are worldwide health problem. The liver is one of the largest organs in human body and has a pivotal role in regulation of physiological processes. The liver is the principle organ for maintaining the body’s internal environment. There is currently no way to reimburse for the absence of liver function [1]. It is the chief site for intense metabolism and excretion. So it has a surprising role in the maintenance, performance and regulating homeostasis of the body. It is involved with almost all the biochemical pathways to growth, fight against disease, nutrient supply, energy provision and reproduction [2]. It is involved in several vital functions such as secretion of bile acids and storage of vitamins. Furthermore, detoxification of a variety of drugs and Y.R. Alli Smith is with Biochemistry Department, Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria (phone: +2348061284168; e-mail: alliyemisi@gmail.com). I.G. Adanlawo is with Biochemistry Department, Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria (e-mail: isowande@yahoo.com). xenobiotics occurs in liver. The bile secreted by the liver has, among other things, an important role in digestion. Thus, to maintain a healthy liver is a crucial factor for overall health and well being. Conventional, drugs used in the treatment of liver diseases are sometimes inadequate and can have serious adverse effects. Therefore, it is necessary to search for alternative drugs for the treatment of liver disease in order to replace currently used drugs of doubtful efficacy and safety [3]. Therefore, conventional medicine is now pursuing the exploitation of natural products such as herbs to provide the support that liver needs on a daily basis. Paracetamol, a commonly used analgesic, is considered safe at therapeutic doses. However, an overdose of paracetamol causes severe hepatotoxicity and necrosis in both humans and experimental animals [4], [5]. At therapeutic levels, paracetamol is primarily metabolized in the liver by glucuronidation and sulphation; however, a small proportion undergoes cytochrome P450 CYP450)-mediated bioactivation to N-acetyl-p-benzoquinoimine (NAPQI), which is rapidly quenched by glutathione (GSH) [6]. After an overdose of paracetamol, elevated levels of the toxic NAPQI metabolite are generated, which extensively deplete hepatocellular GSH and covalently modify cellular proteins resulting in hepatocyte death [7]. Garcinia kola (Bitter kola), is a species of flowering plant in the Clusiaceae or Guttiferae family. It is found in Benin, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ivory Coast, Gabon, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal and Sierra Leone. It is given different names in Nigeria. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist low land forests. The plant has the popular acronym “wonder plant” among the South- Western Nigeria people because of it importance [8]. Saponins are glycosides with distinctive foaming characteristic. They are widely distributed plant metabolites consisting of a steroidal or a triterpenoid moiety having one or more carbohydrates side chains. Saponins have been reported to possess a wide range of biological activities. This article is aimed at investigating the protective effects of saponin extracts of roots of Garcinia kola on paracetamol – induced hepatotoxicity in albino rats. II. MATERIALS AND METHODS A. Plant Materials The root of Garcinia kola (Bitter kola) was collected from Are-Ekiti, Ekiti state, Nigeria. The samples were thoroughly Protective Effect of Saponin Extract from the Root of Garcinia kola (Bitter kola) against Paracetamol- Induced Hepatotoxicity in Albino Rats Yemisi Rufina Alli Smith, Isaac Gbadura Adanlawo L World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology International Journal of Medical and Health Sciences Vol:9, No:2, 2015 130 International Scholarly and Scientific Research & Innovation 9(2) 2015 scholar.waset.org/1307-6892/10000419 International Science Index, Medical and Health Sciences Vol:9, No:2, 2015 waset.org/Publication/10000419