The effect of
kolaviron, a mixture of
Garcinia biflavonoid 1 (GB1),
Garcinia biflavonoid 2 (GB2) and
kolaflavanone, used in the treatment of various ailments in southern Nigeria on hepatotoxicity and lipid peroxidation induced by
2-acetylaminofluorene (2-AAF) in rats was investigated. The ability of
butylated hydroxyanisole (
BHA) to attenuate the toxic effect of
2-AAF was also examined.
Kolaviron administered orally to rats at a dose of 100mg/kg
body weight twice a day for 1 week before challenge with
2-AAF (200mg/kg feed) and continuously for 3 weeks at a single dose of 200mg/kg
body weight reversed the 2-AAF-mediated decrease in final
body weight and relative organ weights, especially the liver.
BHA was administered at a dose of 7.5g/kg feed to the animals for 4 weeks. The extract decreased significantly the 2-AAF-mediated increase in the activity of
aspartate aminotransferase,
alanine aminotransferase, gamma-glutamyl
transferase and
ornithine carbamyl
transferase by 58%, 62%, 60% and 67%, respectively.
BHA elicited respectively 55%, 63%, 57% and 65% reduction in the
2-AAF induced-increase in the activities of these
enzymes. Histological examination of the liver slices correlated with the changes in serum
enzyme alterations. Similarly,
kolaviron decreased the
2-AAF reduction of
5'-nucleotidase and
glucose-6-phosphatase activities by 63% and 60%, respectively while
BHA elicited 59% and 61% decrease in the activities of these
enzymes. Simultaneous administration of
kolaviron with
2-AAF inhibited microsomal lipid peroxidation as assessed by the
thiobarbituric acid reacting substances (
TBARS) formation by 66%.
BHA produced a 64% reduction in
TBARS formation. In the present study,
kolaviron appears to act as an in vivo natural
antioxidant and an effective hepatoprotective agent and is as effective as
BHA.