Hepatoprotective Effect of Ethanolic Extract of Cnestis ferruginea Roots on Carbon tetrachloride-Induced Liver Damage in Male Rats

Hepatoprotection or antihepatotoxicity is the ability of an agent or chemical to prevent damage to the liver. These hepatoprotective agents mitigate the liver injury caused by the hepatotoxic agents. Therefore, the objective of this paper was to investigate the hepatoprotective effect of ethanolic extract of Cnestis ferruginea roots on carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced liver damage in male rats using appropriate standard methods. A single dose of CCl4 administration significantly (p<0.05) increased the levels of ALT and AST in the positive control group, compared to the negative control group. Also, a significant (p<0.05) increase in the level of ALP and TB was seen in the positive control group relative to the negative control group. While, pre-treatment with either the extract or the standard drug significantly (p<0.05) reduced the levels of hepatic enzymes of serum (ALT, AST and ALP) and TB, when compared with the positive control group. Similarly, the activity of Glutathione-s-transferase (GST), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) in the liver of untreated rats (induced with CCl4)was significantly decreased (p<0.05) in comparison with the rats treated with the extracts and the standard drug. Thus, treatment of the CCl4 -induced rats with the extracts for fourteen days resulted in the reversal of the CCl4- induced liver damage in the rats with the high dose (200 mg/kg) giving the best result which was comparable with the standard drug. Therefore the ethanolic extract of C. ferruginea roots protects the liver against CCl4 -induced oxidative stress.