Malacca leaf ethanolic extract (Phyllanthus emblica) as a hepatoprotector of the liver of mice (Mus musculus) infected with Plasmodium berghei

Abstract

Background and Aim: Although existing research confirms the antiparasitic effect of the Malacca plant against Plasmodium, its effect on the liver, one of the target organs of Plasmodium has not been investigated. Therefore, this study was conducted to explore the potential of the ethanolic extract of Malacca (Phyllanthus emblica) leaves in preventing liver damage in mice (Mus musculus) caused by Plasmodium berghei infection. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted using the livers of 18 mice fixed in 10% neutral-buffered formalin. A completely randomized design with a unidirectional pattern comprising six treatments was used in this study, with each treatment consisting of three replications. Treatment 0 was the negative control group infected with P. berghei, treatment 1 was the positive control group infected with P. berghei followed by chloroquine administration at a dose of 5 mg/kg BW, and treatments 2, 3, 4, and 5 were groups infected with P. berghei and administered Malacca leaf ethanolic extracts at doses of 100, 300, 600, and 1200 mg/kg BW, respectively. The extracts were administered orally using a gastric tube for 4 consecutive days. Mice were sacrificed on the 7th day and livers were collected for histopathological examination. Results: Histopathological examination of the livers of mice infected with P. berghei demonstrated the presence of hemosiderin, hydropic degeneration, fat degeneration, necrosis, and megalocytosis. However, all these histopathological changes were reduced in the livers of P. berghei-infected mice treated with various doses of Malacca leaf ethanolic extract. The differences between the treatments were found be statistically significant (p<0.05). Conclusion: Ethanolic extract of Malacca leaves has the potential to protect against liver damage in mice infected with P. berghei. The dose of 600 mg/kg BW was found to be the most effective compared with the doses of 100, 300, and 1200 mg/kg BW.

The Oxidative Stress-Mediated Effects in Pregnant Mice with Plasmodium berghei Infection

“…The appearance of hepatocyte necrosis is highly dependent on sporozoite infection Plasmodium. This is the same as previous research which states that Plasmodium can cause hepatocyte necrosis (Asmilia et al, 2020).…”

Protective Effects of Gymnema inodorum Leaf Extract on Plasmodium berghei-Induced Hypoglycemia, Dyslipidemia, Liver Damage, and Acute Kidney Injury in Experimental Mice

“…In the model used for this study, hemozoin, a free heme derived from high parasitemia and hemolysis, was likely to contribute to the oxidative stress response in the liver [ 29 ]. Another study demonstrated that PbANKA infection caused hydropic degeneration, and continuous degeneration can cause liver cell necrosis [ 30 ].…”

“…PbANKA infection in mice is a well-known model of malaria-induced acute kidney injury [ 30 ]. Here, PbANKA-infected mice showed kidney injury as confirmed through manifestations of significantly increased BUN and creatinine levels in the untreated group, consistent with previous reports [ 38 ].…”