Cardioprotective Potential of Methanol Extract of Costus afer Leaf on Carbon Tetrachloride-Induced Cardiotoxicity in Albino Rats

Costus afer leaf extract is one of the native heritages of folklore medicine in Nigeria, used for the treatment of various disease conditions. Therefore this study was undertaken to evaluate the cardioprotective potential of the methanol extract of Costus afer leaves on CCl₄- induced cardiotoxicity in albino rats. Twenty-eight (28) albino rats were divided into four main groups: normal control (normal saline only), CCl₄ control (saline and CCl₄), aspirin treated (1.2 mg/kg b.w aspirin and CCl₄) and Costus afer extract treated (extract and CCl₄) groups. Costus afer extract was administered in four doses; 100, 200, 300, and 400 mg/kg b.w. p.o for 7 days. On day 7, CCl₄ (2.5 ml) cardiotoxicity was induced in animals of CCl₄ control, aspirin treated and extract pre-treatment groups. The parameters studied in this respect were cardiac biomarker enzymes; Creatine Kinase (CK), Aspartate Transaminases (AST) and Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH), serum lipid profile; Triacylglycerol (TAG), Total Cholesterol (TC), Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL), High Density Lipoprotein (HDL) and artherogenic index (AR), lipid peroxidation; malondialdehyde (MDA) level and enzymatic antioxidant levels of cardiac tissue homogenate; Superoxide Dismutase (SOD), Catalase (CAT) and Glutathione Reductase (GR). CCl₄ intoxication produced significant (p < 0.05) increases in cardiac biomarker enzymes, serum lipid profile (TAG, TC, and LDL) along with enhanced lipid peroxidation in heart, while significant (p < 0.05) decreases in enzymatic antioxidant activities and HDL contents were also observed when compared to normal control. Costus afer leaf extract protected against  CCl< cardiotoxic effect by restoring the cardiac functions alterations, augmenting antioxidant activities, reducing lipid peroxidation and improving lipid profile levels near normal. From the results, Costus afer leaves expressed cardioprotective potential and could be helpful in the management of cardiac dysfunction.