The Correlation of Pegagan and Beluntas Leaf Extract Co-Treatment on Liver Histological Alteration and Circulating Transaminase Enzyme Level

Abstract

Currently, people prefer to use herbal treatment because it is considered relatively cheaper, efficient, and smaller in its side effects compared to synthetic drugs. However, it does not mean that herbal medicine has no adverse side effects if it is used in less precise. Some plants that have properties as antifertility, as well as hepatoprotective, are pegagan (Centella asiatica) and beluntas (Pluchea indica). This study aimed to find a combination dosage of pegagan and beluntas extract that was safe to the liver. The research design used a completely randomized design with six treatments and four replications. The leaf extract of pegagan and beluntas with doses of 0, 25+25, 50+50, 75+75, 125+125, and 200+200 mg/kg BW was administered to 24 female Wistar strains. The data of glutamate pyruvate transaminase (GPT), glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (GOT), and the level of liver histological damage were analyzed using ANOVA (α 5%) and followed by DMRT (α 5%). The results revealed that the administration of the leaf extract of pegagan and beluntas up to doses of 200+200 mg/kg BW did not affect GPT-GOT levels but began to show histological liver damage. In the conclusion, the use of a combination of pegagan and beluntas extract each up to a dose of 125+125 mg/kg BW was safe for the liver.