EFFECTS OF SAND BOX (Hura crepitans) SEED MEALS ON RATS' LIVER AND SERUM ENZYME LEVELS

The effect of Hura crepitans seed flour, incorporated at 10% (w/w) protein on liver and serum acid phosphatase (E.C. 3.1.3.2), alkaline phosphatase (E.C.3.1.3.1), aspartate – amino transferase activity (AST) (E.C.2.6.1.1) and alanine amino transferase activity (ALT) (E.C.2.6.1.2) activities were investigated. Generally, results of the toxicological investigation showed that acid phosphatase (ACP), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), aspartate amino transferase (AST) and alanine amino transferase (ALT) activities of liver and serum of rats fed on defatted cooked diet were not significantly different (p>0.05) from those of control fed casein diet. However, their activities were significantly reduced (p≤0.05) in liver of rats fed with undefatted cooked diet, raw defatted diet and raw undefatted diet, while those of serum were significantly increased (p≤0.05).The results of this study indicated that combination of defatting and cooking processes reduced the toxicity of Hura crepitans seeds.