LIVER FUNCTION AND ANTICANCER POTENTIALS OF ANNONA MURICATA LEAVES IN TREATMENT OF PROSTATE CANCER

Prostate cancer remains one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths among men worldwide, posing a major health challenge especially in developing countries where access to advanced healthcare is limited.This study aimed to evaluate the effects of Annona muricata leaves on liver function and their anticancer potential in the treatment of prostate cancer, specifically investigating the impact of the leaf extracts on liver function markers and evaluating their activity against the cancer model. A. muricata leaves were air-dried, powdered, and extracted using ethanol. Prostate cancer was induced in rats, which were subsequently divided into five groups: Normal Control, Prostate Cancer Control, Standard Control (Finasteride), Low Dose Extract, and High Dose Extract. Treatments were administered orally once daily. Serum samples were collected to determine the activity of liver function markers, including Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP), Aspartate Transaminase (AST), and Alanine Transaminase (ALT), utilizing Randox test kits. Statistical analysis was performed using one-way ANOVA. Prostate cancer induction significantly elevated serum liver function markers in the untreated control group, resulting in high levels of ALT (21.36 U/L), AST (22.70 U/L), ALP (151.46 U/L), and Total Bilirubin (24.38 µmol/l), demonstrating significant liver damage compared to the Normal Control. Treatment with the A. muricata high dose extract significantly reversed these adverse changes, normalizing ALT (15.20 U/L) and Total Bilirubin (16.33 µmol/l) to values statistically similar to the healthy control group. The high dose also led to a significantly lower ALP level (126.76 U/L) compared to all other induced groups. These findings suggest that Annona muricata leaf extract possesses significant hepatoprotective effects and strong anticancer potential by mitigating the systemic impact of prostate cancer on liver health.