ABSTRACT Background Considering its long‐standing ethnomedicinal applications in managing diverse human disorders, this study was designed to evaluate the hepatoprotective efficacy of Fraxinus hookeri Wenz. ( F. hookeri) in a carbon tetrachloride (CCl 4 )‐induced hepatotoxicity in rats. Methods 48 rats were randomly divided into eight groups ( n = 6/group). The Control group received no treatment, the DMSO group received vehicles: DMSO (3 mL/kg) orally and 30% olive oil intraperitoneally. Except for Control and DMSO, all groups co‐administered CCl 4 (3 mL/kg b.w.) intraperitoneally twice weekly for four weeks. The CCl 4 group received just CCl 4 intraperitoneally, whereas the Rutin group received 50 mg/kg Rutin orally as a reference botanical drug. Groups ‘FHMEa’ and ‘FHMEb’ received F. hookeri Methanolic Extract (FHME), and Groups ‘FHNHa’ and ‘FHNHb’ received F. hookeri n‐hexane Extract (FHNH) orally at a dose of 100 and 200 mg/kg b.w. respectively. Hepatoprotection was assessed via serum biochemical indices, antioxidant enzyme activities, genotoxicity, and histopathology. Results CCl 4 administration significantly elevated ( p < 0.05) serum hepatic markers (ALT, AST, ALP, LDH) and lipid profile parameters (TC, TG, LDL) while reducing HDL levels. F. hookeri treatment markedly normalized ( p < 0.05) these alterations. Similarly, CCl 4 reduced ( p < 0.05) antioxidant enzymes (POD, SOD, and CAT) activities and increased ( p < 0.05) TBARS, genotoxicity, and histological tissue damage, all of which were normalized (p < 0.05) by F. hookeri . Conclusion Collectively, the findings confirm the hepatoprotective and antioxidant efficacy of F. hookeri against CCl 4 ‐induced hepatotoxicity, supporting its use as a natural candidate for hepatoprotection.
Sarwar et al. (2026) studied this question.