Sargassum is found across all oceans which can be used as food and medicines in many cultures.Bioactive compounds such as meroterpenoids, phlorotanins, fucoidans, sterols and glycolipids, have been identified which is reported that they had contributed to the anticancer, antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, anticoagulant, antioxidant, hypoglycaemic, hypolipidemic properties, indicating that Sargassum is a rich source of chemicals that promote and preserve health. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the in vivo antioxidant and hepatoprotective activity of ethanolic extract of sargassum fluitans in CCl4 induced rats. Sargassum fluitans aqueous ethanolic extracts doses of 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg were administered orally by gavage for 12 days prior to the completion of CCl₄ induction. Serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were measured using commercial AST and ALT assay kits. To induce chronic inflammation, CCl₄ was injected intraperitoneally at a dose of 0.5 μL/g body weight twice weekly for six weeks. Serum superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and catalase (CAT) levels were determined using corresponding SOD and CAT assay kits. Also, the serum concentrations of inflammatory mediators like tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) were determined using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Histopathological changes were assessed by hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining.The Sargassum fluitans aqueous ethanolic extracts (both low dose and high dose) -treated group exhibited reduced AST, ALT, IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1β, and increased SOD and CAT activities. Histological analyses of the treated group (both low dose and high dose) exhibited reduced inflammatory process and prevented liver fibrosis. In conclusion, Aqueous ethanolic extracts of Sargassum fluitans may serve as a promising anti-inflammatory candidate for chronic liver inflammation.
Adeyemo et al. (Mon,) studied this question.