Abstract
Balessan is the Arabic local name of
Commiphora opobalsamum
that has been used in diseases of liver, stomach, and urinary tract. The hepatoprotective activity of an ethanolic extract of
C. opobalsamum
was investigated in rats by inducing hepatotoxicity with carbon tetrachloride:liquid paraffin (1:1).
The aerial parts of the plant were collected in 2011. Powders from shade-dried plant sample (300 gm) were macerated in 96% ethanol (4 liters) for 36 hrs to yield the plant extract. Wistar albino rats of either sex were divided into four groups containing six animals in each group. Group I was kept as a control group. Groups II, III, and IV received 0.25 ml of CCl
4
in liquid paraffin (1:1) per 100 g body weight intraperitoneally. Group II received only CCl
4
treatment. Groups III & IV were treated in addition with 250 and 500 mg/kg of ethanolic extract of Balessan, respectively. The drug treatment was started 5 days prior to CCl
4
administration and continued until the end of experiment.
The preliminary qualitative phytochemical screening of the aerial parts revealed the presence of flavonoids, tannins, sterols and triterpenes. Rats subjected to the CCl
4
regimen alone developed significant hepatocellular damage as evidenced by a significant elevation in serum activities of glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase, glutamate pyruvate transaminase, alkaline phosphatase and billirubin compared with normal values, which have been used as reliable markers of hepatotoxicity. Oral administration of an ethanol extract of Balssan exhibited a significant reduction in CCl
4
induced increased levels of SGOT, SGPT, ALP and bilirubin concentrations.
The plant extract had a significant protective effect by lowering serum transaminase levels (Serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase and serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase), alkaline phosphatase and billirubin. Regarding the effect of CCl
4
on liver cells and the protective effect of
C. opobalsamum
, no confluent necrosis was observed in either Balessan extract-treated groups, which support our biochemical findings. The chemical constituents responsible for its hepatoprotective activity against chemical injury are not known. However, the plant contains a number of phytochemical constituents, including flavonoids, saponins, sterols and triterpenes. These data suggest that the plant
C. opobalsamum
may act as an antioxidant agent and may have a hepatoprotective effect.