Comparative analysis of the antihepatotoxic effects of Ginkgo biloba leaf extract and Legalon using histological and biochemical techniques

Abstract

Drugs, alcohol, and poor nutrition all contribute to the overproduction of free radicals, which linked to numerous diseases and resulted in a high number of cases of liver injury. Antioxidants have shown to play a significant role in reducing the harm caused by these compounds in recent studies. Treatment of liver disease with plants from the natural world has received considerable attention for quite some time. This study compared Ginkgo biloba leaf extract (GbE) with a commonly used drug in Egypt called Legalon for treating liver disorders, in order to assess GbE's hepato-protective effect against hepatotoxicity induced experimentally by CCl4. Before the first dose of CCl4, animals given GbE (100 ml/kg) and Legalon drug (100 ml/kg) orally, once a day, for a week. After that, CCl4 given orally at a dose of (2.5 ml/kg) in olive oil daily for 8 weeks to induce liver fibrosis, and the administration of GbE and Legalon maintained at the same dose and duration. The protective effect of GbE was determined by observing the result of the experiment, which included a shift in biochemical indictors and the outcomes of histopathological studies. In comparison to the control group, CCl4 significantly (P<0.5) increased the levels of ALT, AST, ALP, MDA, and lipid profile. In contrast, markers of oxidative stress, including TP, ALB, HDL, TAC, GSH, GPx, CAT, and SOD, were significantly lower in the study's experimental group than in the control group. Nevertheless, GbE treatment led to differences across the board when compared to the CCl4-intoxicated and Legalon groups. With the help of the histopathological investigations, all of these findings verified. Conclusion: Liver damage caused experimentally by CCl4 mitigated when the animals pretreated with GbE. Both biochemical and histopathological studies found that GbE acts as a powerful antioxidant, suppressing oxidative stress to reduce hepatotoxicity and slow the development of liver fibrosis.