Effect of Giving Ethanol Extract of Keji Beling (Strobilanthes crispa L. Blume) Leaves on Histology and Liver Physiology in White Rats (Rattus norvegicus L.) Induced by Sodium Benzoate

Abstract

Sodium benzoate is one of the most widely used food preservatives in the food and beverage industry due to its effectiveness in inhibiting microbial growth. However, excessive and prolonged consumption of sodium benzoate may induce adverse health effects, including gastrointestinal disturbances, neurological disorders, and liver damage resulting from oxidative stress. Natural medicinal plants with antioxidant properties have attracted considerable attention as potential therapeutic agents against chemical-induced organ toxicity. Keji Beling leaves (Strobilanthes crispa L. Blume) are traditionally utilized in Indonesia for various medicinal purposes and are known to contain bioactive compounds such as flavonoids, polyphenols, tannins, and saponins that exhibit hepatoprotective activity. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of ethanol extract of keji beling leaves on liver histology and liver physiological function, as indicated by serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase (SGPT) and serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (SGOT) levels, in sodium benzoate-induced white rats (Rattus norvegicus L.). The experiment employed a Completely Randomised Design with five treatment groups at different extract dosages. Data were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), followed by Duncan’s Multiple Range Test at a 95% confidence level. The results demonstrated that sodium benzoate administration significantly induced liver histopathological alterations characterized by cellular degeneration, inflammation, and necrosis, accompanied by elevated SGPT and SGOT levels. Treatment with the ethanol extract of keji beling leaves significantly improved liver histology and reduced liver enzyme levels compared with the sodium benzoate-induced group. The hepatoprotective effect was dose-dependent, with the dose of 500 mg/kg body weight showing the most effective recovery of liver tissue and normalization of SGPT and SGOT levels. These findings suggest that the ethanol extract of Strobilanthes crispa leaves has promising potential as a natural hepatoprotective agent against sodium benzoate-induced liver injury.