Mangifera indica (Mango) Leaf Extract as a Recipe for Chemical Induced Acute Liver Injury

Background: Acute liver injury is a precursor of many chronic liver diseases which are of major global health burden. Chemicals including drugs, alcohol and psychoactive substances constitute major causes of acute liver injury.

Methods: Varying degrees (mild, moderate and severe) of acute liver injury were induced in equal number of rats. This was followed by daily oral administration of aqueous extract of M. indica leaf at 200 mg/kg for 14 days. Each group had its own control that did not receive the extract.

Results: All the extract groups had increase in body weight while the liver-injured but non-extract groups lost weight. The relative liver weights of all the extract groups were akin to that of the control. The total protein levels of the moderately and severely injured groups that had the extract were markedly higher than those of their respective control (i.e. extract not administered). The liver enzymes (alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase) levels of the extract groups were significantly lower than those of the respective control. Oxidative stress was less pronounced in the extract groups. Microscopy of the sections prepared from the harvested liver revealed distortion of the liver architecture in all the non-extract but liver injured groups and this was proportionate to the degree of injury. While the liver architecture was preserved in all the extract groups.

A considerable number of non-hepatocyte cells was seen in the non-extract but liver injured groups along with fatty infiltration of the cytoplasm i.e. hepatocyte steatosis. Karyorrhexis was observed in some hepatocytes as evidenced by the fragmentation of the nuclei.

Conclusion: Oral administration of the aqueous extract of Mangifera. Indica (Mango) leaf is beneficent following chemical induced acute liver injury of varying magnitude in rats.