Abstract
Objective: To assess the effects of Lagenaria siceraria on arsenic induced fatty change in hepatocytes of liver.
Methodology: The study was done at Anatomy Department, Army Medical College Rawalpindi in collaboration with National Institute of Health (NIH) Islamabad for a period of eight weeks. Sprague Dawley rats (both male and female separately housed) were divided randomly into five groups each group indiscriminately had 10 animals. A and B served as untreated controls and C, D and E were experimental groups. Experimental groups were intervened with sodium arsenite to induce hepatotoxicity. Experimental group C was sacrificed after four weeks of arsenic intervention to observe immediate effects. In the next four weeks Group D was left without intervention to observe whether the toxic effects were self-limiting. Concomitant use of Lagenaria siceraria on group E along with arsenic was done. Liver specimens were stained with H & E and semi qualitative scoring of steatosis was done according to Brunt steatosis scoring. Data analysis was done by SPSS v 22.
Results: In group C animals, the fatty change (steatosis) was extensive and marked as compared to the control group A. Steatosis was also observed in the experimental groups D and E but it was less marked. In group E, the fatty change decreased extensively after the concomitant use of lagenaria siceraria (p≤0.05).
Conclusion: Administration of arsenic induced fatty changes in the hepatocytes. Concomitant use of Lagenaria siceraria mitigated these fatty changes in hepatocytes.

Key words: Sodium arsenite, steatosis, Lagenaria siceraria