Effects of Aqueous Leaf Extract of Pride of Barbados (Caesalpina pulcherrima) on the Activities of Some Liver Function Enzymes and Blood Glucose Concentration in Normal Rabbits

Abstract

Some of the effects of the aqueous leaf extract of Pride of Barbados ( Caesalpina pulcherrima ) on the activities of plasma glutamic pyruvate transaminase (GPT), glutamic oxaloacetate transaminase (GOT), acid phosphatase (AP), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and blood glucose concentration in normal rabbits were carried out. All the rabbits used which were of New Zealand strain weighed between 1.00 to 1.60 kg. About 100ml aqueous leaf extract of this plant was administered daily to the test rabbits orally through clean drinking troughs for a period of 15 days. Analyses were conducted using the blood collected intravenously from the larger veins at the back of the ears of rabbits. Aqueous leaf extract of Pride of Barbados did not affect plasma GOT, GPT, AP and ALP activities (P > 0.05). However, plasma glucose concentration increased significantly (P < 0.05) on the 9th, 11th, 13th and 15th days of administration of the aqueous leaf extract to the rabbits. It might be unsafe to abuse the use of this extract as liver tonic as it may create serious health problems for the diabetics due to the likely escalation of complications arising from hyperglycemia. Non – diabetics however, may be placed on a routine check of their fasting blood sugar as they use the aqueous leaf extract of Pride of Barbados.