The in vivo micronucleus assay was used to examine the anticlastogenic effects of crude extracts of Bridelia ferruginea, Vernonia amygdalina, Tridax procumbens, Ocimum gratissimum, and Lawsonia inermis in Wistar albino rats. Extracts of doses of 100？mg/kg body weight were given to rats in five groups for seven consecutive days followed by a single dose of 2-AAF (0.5？mmol/kg body weight). The rats were sacrificed after 24 hours and their bone marrow smears were prepared on glass slides stained with Giemsa. The micronucleated polychromatic erythrocyte cells (mPCEs) were thereafter recorded. The hepatoprotective effects of the plant extracts against 2-AAF-induced liver toxicity in rats were evaluated by monitoring the levels of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT), and histopathological analysis. The results of the 2-AAF-induced liver toxicity experiments showed that rats treated with the plant extracts (100？mg/kg) showed a significant decrease in mPCEs as compared with the positive control. The rats treated with the plant extracts did not show any significant change in the concentration of ALP and GGT in comparison with the negative control group whereas the 2-AAF group showed a significant increase ( ) in these parameters. Some of the leaf extracts also showed protective effects against histopathological alterations. This study suggests that the leaf extracts have hepatoprotective potential, thereby justifying their ethnopharmacological uses. 1. Introduction There is a huge patronage of herbal products around the world as an alternative to orthodox drugs [1, 2] and these medicinal plants have immensely contributed to the development of human health and welfare [3, 4]. Previous studies on several folklore herbs showed that plant extracts contain many compounds with chemoprotective potentials that may prevent the attack of carcinogens [5, 6]. However, limited studies have investigated the anticlastogenic potentials of African herbs used in folk medicine to treat cancer. Various test systems have been used to evaluate the protective effects of plant extracts against genotoxicity induced by carcinogens [7–9]. Genotoxic carcinogens, including 2-AAF, often cause a variety of nongenotoxic alterations in cells which might be indispensable in tumorigenesis. Various studies used different models to investigate the effect of herbs on alleviating oxidative stress on the liver [3]. Carcinogenic 2-AAF was selected in this study because of the ability to induce chronic liver toxicity and tumors in a number of species in the liver, bladder, and
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