Abstract
Context: Rumex vesicarius L. (Polygonaceae), an edible plant, is reported to have many bioactive phytochemicals, especially flavonoids and anthraquinones with antioxidant and detoxifying properties.
Objective: This study evaluated the methanolic extract of R. vasicarius (MERV) for hepatoprotective activity in rats against CCI4-induced liver damage.
Materials and methods: The whole plant extract was prepared and investigated for its hepatoprotective activity. Rats were pretreated with MERV (100 and 200 mg/kg, p.o.) for 7 d prior to the induction of liver damage by CCI4. Animals were then sacrificed 24 h after CCI4 administration for the biochemical (AST, ALT, and ALP activity in serum; lipid peroxidation (LPO) and glutathione (GSH) levels in liver tissue) and histological analyses.
Results: CCI4-induced hepatotoxicity was confirmed by an increase (p <0.05) in serum AST (4.55fold), ALT (3.51-fold), and ALP (1.82-fold) activities. CCI4-induced hepatotoxicity was also manifested by an increase (p < 0.05) in LPO (3.88-fold) and depletion of reduced glutathione (3.14-fold) activity in liver tissue. The multiple dose MERV administration at 200 mg/kg showed promising hepatoprotective activity as evident from significant decrease levels of serum AST (230.01 +/- 13.21), serum ALT (82.15 +/- 5.01), serum ALP (504.75 +/- 19.72), hepatic LPO (3.38 +/- 0.33), and increased levels of hepatic glutathione (0.34 0.04) towards near normal. Further, biochemical results were confirmed by histopathological changes as compared with CCI4-intoxicated rats.
Discussion and conclusion: The results obtained from this study indicate hepatoprotective activity of Rumex plant against CCI4-induced liver toxicity; hence, it can be used as a hepatoprotective agent.