Antioxidant and hepatopreventive effects of Cassia angustifolia extract against carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatotoxicity in rats

Abstract

The present study aimed to investigate the preventive effects of methanol fraction from Cassia angustifolia leaf extract (MECA), associated with its phytochemical content, on CCl₄-induced hepatic toxicity in adult rats. In the controls, CCl₄ induced an increase of serum biochemical parameters and triggered oxidative stress in the liver. MECA caused significant reductions in CCl₄-elevated levels of hepatic markers, total cholesterol, triglycerides, and low-density lipoprotein and increased the level of high-density lipoprotein compared to the CCl₄ group. Moreover, pretreatment with the MECA produced significant reductions in lipid peroxidation (thiobarbituric acid reactive substances) and protein carbonyl level in liver tissues as compared with the untreated group. The formation of pathological hepatic lesions was strongly prevented by MECA. Overall, this study suggests that administration of MECA has a high potential to quench free radicals and alleviate CCl₄-induced hepatotoxicity in rats.

Keywords:

• Carbon tetrachloride
• C. angustifolia
• hepatopreventive
• oxidative stress
• rats

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this article.

Additional information

Funding

The present work was supported by a grant from the Directorate-General for Scientific and Technical Research, Tunisia (Support for Basic University Research UR/13 ES-73).