Protective Effect of Aucuba Japonica Against Carbon Tetrachloride-Induced Liver Damage in Rats

ABSTRACT

Pretreatment of rats with ethanol extract from leaves of Aucuba japonica (600 mg/kg/day, po) for two days protected against CCl₄-induced depression in plasma disappearance and biliary excretion of injected sulfobromophthalein (BSP) determined 24 hr after the CCI₄ challenge (0.5 ml/kg, ip). Percent recovery of BSP in bile in 60 min for control, CCI₄, extract + CCI₄ treated rats was 66.8 ± 1.9, 56.2 ± 1.4, and 68.9 ± 2.2, respectively. Pretreatment of the extract also protected CCl₄-induced increased serum glutamic-pyruvic transaminase activity and liver necrosis as demonstrated by histological evaluations. However, pretreatment of the extract did not modify the intensity of CCl₄-induced lipid peroxidation process or cytochrome P-450 destruction. The results suggest that ethanol extract of Aucuba japonica protects CCI₄ hepatotoxicity at a site in the chain events leading to necrosis but not the activation step of CCI₄ to-CC13 and CI free radicals.