THE EFFECT OF SPONDIAS MOMBIN LEAF AQUEOUS EXTRACT ON PLASMA HEPATIC MARKERS OF HIGH FAT DIET FED RATS

High-fat diet (HFD) consumption is strongly associated with oxidative stress, lipid accumulation, and hepatocellular injury, which manifest as elevated plasma hepatic biomarkers. Medicinal plants rich in phytochemicals are increasingly investigated as alternatives to conventional drugs for mitigating diet-induced liver dysfunction. Spondias mombin, a tropical medicinal plant, possesses antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that may confer hepatoprotective effects. This study evaluated the effect of aqueous leaf extract of Spondias mombin on plasma hepatic markers in HFD-fed rats. Thirty adult male rats were divided into five groups: normal control, HFD-only, HFD + simvastatin, HFD + AESM1 (100 mg/kg), and HFD + AESM2 (300 mg/kg). After the intervention period, plasma was collected and analyzed for hepatic biomarkers including alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and albumin using standard biochemical methods. The HFD-only group exhibited significant elevations in ALT (195.71 ± 5.17 U/L), AST (787.24 ± 39.41 U/L), ALP (363.01 ± 33.86 U/L), and albumin (22.54 ± 3.56 g/dL) compared with the control, indicating hepatocellular damage and altered liver function. Treatment with AESM1 (100 mg/kg) markedly reduced ALT (159.21 ± 2.13 U/L), AST (760.57 ± 12.75 U/L), and ALP (282.69 ± 4.63 U/L), restoring them toward control values. Albumin levels were also normalized (15.91 ± 0.72 g/dL) compared with the HFD group. In conclusion, the hepatoprotective effect of AESM1 (100 mg/kg) was in some cases superior to simvastatin, suggesting stronger efficacy of the plant extract. The aqueous leaf extract of Spondias mombin demonstrated hepatoprotective activity in HFD-fed rats by normalizing plasma hepatic enzyme activities and albumin levels.