Effect of methanol extract of Dicranopteris linearis against carbon tetrachloride- induced acute liver injury in rats

Abstract

BackgroundDicranopteris linearis (family Gleicheniaceae) has been reported to possess anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities but no attempt has been made to study its hepatoprotective potential. The aim of the present study was to determine the hepatoprotective effect of methanol extracts of D. linearis (MEDL) against carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced acute liver injury in rats.Methods6 groups (n = 6) of rats received oral test solutions: 10% dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), 200 mg/kg silymarin, or MEDL (50, 250, and 500 mg/kg), once daily for 7 consecutive days, followed by hepatotoxicity induction with CCl4. Blood and liver were collected for biochemical and microscopic analysis. The extract was also subjected to antioxidant studies (e.g. 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH)- and superoxide anion-radical scavenging assays, oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) test and total phenolic content (TPC) determination), phytochemical screening and HPLC analysis.ResultsPretreatment with MEDL and silymarin significantly (P < 0.05) reduced the serum levels of AST, ALT and ALP, which were increased significantly (P < 0.05) in DMSO-pretreated group following treatment with CCl4. Histological analysis of liver tissues in groups pretreated with MEDL and silymarin showed mild necrosis and inflammation of the hepatocytes compared to the DMSO-pretreated group (negative control group). The MEDL showed higher DPPH- and superoxide anion-radical scavenging activity as well as high TPC and ORAC values indicating high antioxidant activity.ConclusionsMEDL exerts hepatoprotective activity that could be partly contributed by its antioxidant activity and high phenolic content, and hence demands further investigation.

Anti-inflammatory and hepatoprotective potentials of the aerial parts of <i>Silene villosa</i> Caryophyllaceae methanol extract in rats

“…The results indicated that CCl 4 induced oxidative stress with a significant decrease (p < 0.01) in the activities of liver SOD, CAT and GPx in comparison with the normal control values. In addition, hepatic GSH showed a significant (p < 0.01) decrease while MDA levels significantly (p < 0.01) increased in CCl 4 exposed rats relative to the normal group.…”

“…The vehicle (Tween 80), silymarin and S. villosa extract were dosed orally for 7 days. On the 7th day, hepatotoxicity was induced in rats of groups II -V using 1 mL/kg of CCl 4 (50 % solution in olive oil) by intraperitoneal route [4], while rats of Group I were injected with an equal volume of olive oil.…”

“…The hepatoprotective activity of S. villosa extract was evaluated in adult rats by using CCl 4 as a hepatotoxic agent [4]. Five groups of male rats were used (n = 6).…”

“…CCl 4 is widely used to induce experimental hepatotoxicity in laboratory animals [4]. The adverse effects of CCl 4 are mediated by the highly reactive free trichloromethyl radical (CCl 3 •).…”

“…The adverse effects of CCl 4 are mediated by the highly reactive free trichloromethyl radical (CCl 3 •). The free radical of CCl 4 reacts with oxygen to generate trichloromethylperoxyl radical (CCl 3 OO•), which in turn reacts with polyunsaturated fatty acids of the membranous system leading to oxidative injuries such as lipid peroxidation [5]. Accordingly, the free radical mediated lipid peroxidation (LPO) is one of the major mechanisms of hepatic damage by CCl 4 [6].…”