Hepatoprotective effects of root extract in carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatotoxicity in Wistar albino rats through amelioration of oxidative stress.

Context: The roots of Cav. (Asteraceae) have antioxidant and antimicrobial properties.

Objective: This study aimed to examine the hepatoprotective effects of roots ethanol extract (TLRE) using carbon tetrachloride (CCl)-induced hepatotoxicity in rats.

Materials And Methods: The active ingredients of TLRE were identified by high-performance liquid chromatography, infra-red spectrum, and mass spectrometric procedures. Ninety rats were distributed into four main groups: positive, therapeutic, protective, and negative group. The therapeutic group was implemented using CCl (a single dose of 2 mL/kg) before TLRE or silymarin administration. Meanwhile, the protective group was implemented by administering CCl (a single dose of 2 mL/kg) after force-feeding TLRE or silymarin. Each therapeutic and protective group was divided into three subgroups: force-fed with saline, TLRE (500 mg/kg), and silymarin (25 mg/kg). The positive group was split into two subgroups that were force-fed TLRE and silymarin. Positive, therapeutic, and protective groups were compared to the negative group (untreated rats). CCl TLRE, and silymarin were orally administrated using a gastric tube.

Results: In the therapeutic and protective groups, TLRE significantly reduced liver enzymes, i.e., aspartate aminotransferase (12.47 and 6.29%), alanine aminotransferase (30.48 and 11.39%), alkaline phosphatase (17.28 and 15.90%), and cytochrome P450-2E1 (39.04 and 48.24%), and tumour necrosis factor-α (53.72 and 53.72%) in comparison with CCl-induced hepatotoxicity controls.

Conclusions: TLRE has a potent hepatoprotective effect with a good safety margin. After a repeated study on another type of small experimental animal, their offspring, and an experiment with a large animal, this study may lead to clinical trials.