Methanol extract of Nymphaea lotus ameliorates carbon tetrachloride-induced chronic liver injury in rats via inhibition of oxidative stress (original) (raw)

Background: Nymphaea lotus (NL) is an aquatic perennial plant used traditionally in the management of various liver diseases. In this study, the protective effect of methanol extract of NL against carbon tetrachloride (CCl 4)-induced chronic hepatotoxicity in rats was investigated. Methods: Male Wistar rats were assigned into six groups of five rats each. Group I received corn oil (0.5 mL p.o.) and served as control, group II received CCl 4 (1 mL/kg i.p., 1:3 in corn oil), group III received NL (200 mg/kg), and groups IV, V, and VI received CCl 4 + NL (50, 100, and 200 mg/kg, respectively) for 6 weeks. Twenty-four hours after the last exposure, rats were bled and killed. Results: The activities of alanine aminotransaminase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and levels of total bilirubin (TB) in the serum, thiobarbituric acid reac-tive substances (TBARS), superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and glutathione (GSH) in the liver, and histopathology of the liver were determined using standard procedures. NL significantly (p < 0.05) lowered the levels of ALT, AST, and TB and exhibited antioxidant potentials in rats exposed to CCl 4 relative to the control values. Specifically, NL at 100 and 200 mg/kg significantly (p < 0.05) increased CCl 4-induced decrease in hepatic GSH and GPx and also decreased the level of hepatic TBARS in CCl 4-intoxicated rats. Histopathological