Toxicological and biochemical studies on Schinus terebinthifolius concerning its curative and hepatoprotective effects against carbon tetrachloride-induced liver injury

BACKGROUND

Recently, many efforts have been made to discover new products of natural origin which can limit the xenobiotic-induced hepatic injury. Carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) is a highly toxic chemical that is widely used to study hepatotoxicity in animal models.

OBJECTIVE

The present study was conducted to investigate the curative and protective effects of Schinus terbenthifolius ethanolic extract against CCl4 -induced acute hepatotoxicity in rats.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

S. terbenthifolius extract was orally administered in a dose of 350 mg dried extract/kg b.wt. before and after intoxication with CCl4 for curative and protective experiments, respectively. A group of hepatotoxicity indicative enzymes, oxidant-antioxidant capacity, DNA oxidation, and apoptosis markers were measured.

RESULTS

CCl4 increased liver enzyme leakage, oxidative stress, hepatic apoptosis, DNA oxidation, and inflammatory markers. Administration of S. terebinthifolius, either before or after CCl4 intoxication, significantly decreased elevated serum liver enzymes and reinstated the antioxidant capacity. Interestingly, S. terebinthifolius extract inhibited hepatocyte apoptosis as revealed by approximately 20 times down-regulation in caspase-3 expression when compared to CCl4 untreated group. On the other hand, there was neither protective nor curative effect of S. terebinthifolius against DNA damage caused by CCl4.

CONCLUSION

The present study suggests that S. terebinthifolius extract could be a substantially promising hepatoprotective agent against CCl4 toxic effects and may be against other hepatotoxic chemical or drugs.

Protein Isolate from the Herb Phyllanthus niruri Modulates Carbon Tetrachloride-Induced Cytotoxicity in Hepatocytes

ABSTRACT Phyllanthus niruri is a well-known hepatoprotective herbal plant. In the present study, hepatoprotective potential of the protein isolate of P. niruri was investigated against carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4))-induced hepatoxicity in vitro. Isolated hepatocytes were treated with CCl(4) and also separately with various concentrations of the protein isolate of P. niruri along with CCl(4). Levels of different marker enzymes related to hepatic integrity and different antioxidant enzymes as well as lipid peroxidation products in hepatocytes were measured in normal, control (toxicity induced), and protein isolate-treated cells. Administration of CCl(4) increased the leakage of glutamate pyruvate transaminase (GPT) by four fold and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) by 84% in cell suspension, along with increased lipid peroxidation (114%), and reduced the levels of antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) to almost 30% and 37% of the normal values, respectively. Treatment with the protein isolate of P. niruri significantly altered these changes. GPT value almost came down to normal levels and LDH value was reduced to 32% of normal values. Depletion of SOD and CAT activities were restored significantly to 75% and 87% of normal values, respectively. Lipid peroxidation was also reduced significantly. In the DPPH free radical scavenging activity, the protein isolate was also able to quench the free radical. Results suggest that the protein isolate of P. niruri protects hepatocytes against CCl(4)-induced oxidative damage and may be used as an effective cytoprotector against CCl(4)-induced hepatotoxicity.

Aqueous extract of Terminalia arjuna prevents carbon tetrachloride induced hepatic and renal disorders

Background

Carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄) is a well-known hepatotoxin and exposure to this chemical is known to induce oxidative stress and causes liver injury by the formation of free radicals. Acute and chronic renal damage are also very common pathophysiologic disturbances caused by CCl₄. The present study has been conducted to evaluate the protective role of the aqueous extract of the bark of Termnalia arjuna (TA), an important Indian medicinal plant widely used in the preparation of ayurvedic formulations, on CCl₄ induced oxidative stress and resultant dysfunction in the livers and kidneys of mice.

Methods

Animals were pretreated with the aqueous extract of TA (50 mg/kg body weight) for one week and then challenged with CCl₄ (1 ml/kg body weight) in liquid paraffin (1:1, v/v) for 2 days. Serum marker enzymes, namely, glutamate pyruvate transaminase (GPT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were estimated in the sera of all study groups. Antioxidant status in both the liver and kidney tissues were estimated by determining the activities of the antioxidative enzymes, superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione-S-transferase (GST); as well as by determining the levels of thiobarbutaric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and reduced glutathione (GSH). In addition, free radical scavenging activity of the extract was determined from its DPPH radical quenching ability.

Results

Results showed that CCl₄ caused a marked rise in serum levels of GPT and ALP. TBARS level was also increased significantly whereas GSH, SOD, CAT and GST levels were decreased in the liver and kidney tissue homogenates of CCl₄ treated mice. Aqueous extract of TA successfully prevented the alterations of these effects in the experimental animals. Data also showed that the extract possessed strong free radical scavenging activity comparable to that of vitamin C.

Conclusion

Our study demonstrated that the aqueous extract of the bark of TA could protect the liver and kidney tissues against CCl₄-induced oxidative stress probably by increasing antioxidative defense activities.