Combined hepatoprotective potentials of medicinal plants on CCl4-induced hepatotoxic Wistar rats

Abstract

Asparagus racemosus Willd., Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp., Cassia fistula L., and Carissa spinarum L. (ACCC) are used in ethnomedicine for treating a variety of diseases, including liver disease. The present study investigated the combined antioxidative and hepatoprotective roles of an aqueous methanol extract of ACCC (AMACCC) on CCl₄-induced hepatic damage in the rat model. Thirty male Wistar Albino rats were divided uniformly into five groups. Group I (control) received only the vehicle DMSO (0.5 mL/kg b.w.) and was fed a normal diet for 28 days. Carbon tetrachloride (0.5 mL/kg b.w., 20% CCl₄/olive oil) was used to intoxicate groups II–V. Rats in Group II remained untreated, while groups III, IV, and V were given 50 mg/kg b.w. of sylimarin, 100 mg/kg b.w., and 200 mg/kg b.w. of AMACCC, respectively, for 28 days. Investigations were conducted to evaluate the combined action of AMACCC on liver marker enzymes along with histopathological changes of hepatic tissue before and after treatment. In vitro antioxidative activity of AMACCC was also observed. There were significant increases (p < 0.001) in serum hepatic enzyme markers (ALT, AST, and ALP) activities in rats intoxicated with CCl₄ when compared to the normal group, but administration of AMACCC extract at doses of 100 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg body weight and standard sylimarin drug attenuated (p < 0.01) the toxic effects of CCl_4. The treated liver was shown to be in repair histopathologically. The combination of the four plant extracts has a strong hepatoprotective effect, indicating that more research is needed.