Abstract
A planned study was designed to investigate the hepatoprotective role of molokheya Corchorus olitorius L aqueous extract in experimentally-induced hepatotoxicity in rats using histological and biochemical investigations. Antioxidant contents of AECO were analyzed by DPPH and HPLC-MS method. Adult male rats (N=42) were distributed into four groups (n=6). The experiments were completed in 6 weeks. G I: control, G II: hepatotoxic model (0.5ml/kg/bw) of CCl4 in an oily vehicle (1:1) was injected intraperitoneally (i.p) every 3 days for 14 days. G III and IV (Pre-treatment) were administrated 500 and 1000 mg of AECO/kg. b.w, respectively via gavage for 4 weeks then received CCl4 as G II. Phytochemical analysis showed that the most predominant compounds of phenols and flavonoids cinnamic acid and myricetin, respectively. The results showed that liver enzymes (alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) significantly (p < 0.001) increased in CCl4 intoxicated rats. Malondialdehyde (MDA) serum levels also increased. Gglutathione peroxidase (Gpx) serum levels were decreased compared to the control (GI). Administration of both doses of AECO prior to CCl4 decreased serum liver enzymes and MDA levels and increased Gpx compared to the control (G II). Histopathological study supported that the two doses of AECO markedly mitigated the toxicity and preserved the histoarchitecture of hepatic tissue especially high dose (1000 mg AECO) to near-normal. In conclusion. AECO could be used as a natural liver protective food supplement for prevention of chemically induced liver toxicity, based on having radical scavenging activity due to its rich flavonoid and phenolic compounds.