Beta vulgaris root is claimed by traditional medicine to treat a wide variety of ailments such as fevers and constipation, liver diseases, amongst other ailments. The objectives of this study were to assess the possible hepatoprotective effect of the extract on carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) - induced hepatotoxicity and to assess the possible general toxicity of the root, in albino rat. The hepatoprotective assessment was determined biochemically (using Liver Function Test, LFTs), morphologically (histopathological) in albino rat. In general toxicological assessment, the effects of the extract on haematological, biochemical, morphological and in organo-body ratio assessment were performed. The extract was found to possess profound therapeutic ability as it decreased bilirubin levels from 5.2±0.1 μmol/L in the group treated with CCl4 only to 4.2±0.5 μmol/L in the group that received CCl4 and 1000 mg/kg of extract. Additionally, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels decreased from 219.7±30.02 U/L in CCl4 only treated group to 40.25 ± 2.39 U/L in groups treated with CCl4 and 1000 mg/kg respectively. This effect was clearly evident in histopathological studies of livers of rats. The therapeutic ability of the aqueous extract was comparable to Silymarin, a standard hepatoprotective agent. The extract was also found to be effective in both prophylactic and concomitant administrations. This reduction was comparable to the control (316.6 ± 28.2 minutes), and more significant than in the group that received CCl4 and Silymarin (432.6±42.0 minutes). Acute toxicity studies preliminarily carried out on the aqueous extract revealed no lethality. With the exception of food intake (that dose-dependently increased), no physical, physiological and behavioural effects on mice were observed in the study. The LD50of the aqueous extract was found to exceed 5000 mg/kg body weight. Sub-acute toxicity studies on the extract also showed no significant physical, physiological and behavioural effects. Haematological and biochemical studies also revealed no effect on rats administered with doses from 300 mg/kg to 1500 mg/kg body weight of extract. This effect was clearly confirmed by histopathological studies, as they showed no pathological difference in the target organs, livers and kidneys of treated rats when compared to those of the control rat group. It is concluded that the aqueous leaf extract of Beta vulgaris root is safe at doses of 50-1500mg/kg in albino rats. It is also hepatoprotective against CCl4 induced liver damage. This hepatoprotective ability should have a role in the traditional use of the extract in the management of hepatitis related jaundice.
