In vivo Antifibrotic Potential of Extracts of Acanthospermum hispidum DC. Evaluated in Wistar Rats Using Diethylnitrosamine

Aims: Liver fibrosis is a chronic disease of the liver. This disease is a stage of passage to liver cancer. The objective of this work was to evaluate the ability of the ethanolic extract of Acanthospermum hispidum to block the progression of hepatic fibrosis induced in rats using diethylenitrosamine (DEN).

Study Design: Study of the antifibrotic potential of extracts of Acanthospermum hispidum.

Place and Duration of Study: In vivo tests were performed from September 2018 to January 2019. The animal model tests were carried out in the pet shop of the Institute for Health Sciences Research (IRSS) of Burkina Faso and in the Cytogenetics Laboratory (FSS/ISBA) of the Republic of Benin.

Methodology: The evaluation of the antifibrotic activity consisted in treating in wistar rats a liver fibrosis induced with the DEN which is a chemical agent whose effect on the liver has already been confirmed. As a result of the treatment, all animals were removed from the liver and blood. The livers were used for macroscopic and microscopic observations. Blood has been used for the evaluation of biochemical parameters in relation to fibrosis.

Results: The analysis of the results of the biochemical parameters in relation to the fibrosis showed that the ethanolic extract of Acanthospermum hispidum at the dose of 250 mg / kg made it possible to obtain an improvement of these parameters compared to the other batches of animals. These results have been confirmed by those of the anatomo-pathological studies.

Conclusion: The results of biochemical and histological analyzes revealed a capacity of Acanthospermum hispidum extracts to block the evolution of hepatic fibrosis in the rat. These results confirm the hepatoprotective potential of this medicinal plant used in traditional medicine in Burkina Faso.