Protective effects of Origanum vulgare ethanol extract against cyclophosphamide-induced liver toxicity in mice

Figures & data

Table 1. Effects of different doses of O. vulgare pretreatment on the serum levels of hepatic markers after CP administration.

Marker enzymes groups^a	Serum AST (IU/l)	Serum ALT (IU/l)	Serum ALP (IU/l)
Control	51.26 ± 1.37	44.56 ± 2.23	64.21 ± 4.08
CP	196.49 ± 3.82^b	143.78 ± 4.79^b	203.18 ± 3.81^b
OV 50 mg/kg + CP	91.28 ± 2.08^d	98.65 ± 3.59^c	136.56 ± 3.47^c
OV 100 mg/kg + CP	62.71 ± 2.33^e	54.81 ± 2.92^e	87.41 ± 2.37^d
OV 200 mg/kg + CP	53.56 ± 1.67 ^e	46.28 ± 2.42^e	79.18 ± 1.81^e
OV 400 mg/kg + CP	52.49 ± 2.18^e	44.78 ± 2.06^e	65.62 ± 1.73^e

OV, Oreganum vulgare; CP, cyclophosphamide; ALP, alkaline phosphatase; ALT, alanine transaminase; AST, aspartate transaminase. The data were analyzed by a one-way ANOVA and the Tukey's HSD test.

^aValues represent the mean ± standard deviation for each group of five mice.

^bp < 0.001 compared with the control.

^cp < 0.005 compared with the CP-treated group.

^dp < 0.01 compared with the CP-treated group.

^ep < 0.001 compared with the CP-treated group.

Figure 1. Normal group; a liver section of a mouse showing the normal histological structure of a hepatocyte (A; yellow arrow), sinusoidal space (B; red arrow), and central vein (C; white arrow).

Figure 2. CP group (200 mg/kg); a liver section of a mouse showing necrotic hepatocytes with small crushed nuclei (A; yellow arrow), a portal space with severe inflammation (B; blue arrow), and hepatocytes surrounded by lymphocytic infiltration (C; green arrow).

Figure 3. Origanum vulgare-pretreated animals (400 mg/kg) for 7 d before CP administration; a liver section of a mouse showing a normal central vein (A; white arrow), normal sinusoidal space (B; red arrow), nearly normal hepatocyte (C; yellow arrow), and small portal space with mild lymphocytic infiltration (D; blue arrow).

Table 2. The results of semi-quantitative hepatic histopathological examination.

Groups factors/grades	Control	CP 200 mg/kg	OV 50 mg/kg + CP	OV 100 mg/kg + CP	OV 200 mg/kg + CP	OV 400 mg/kg + CP
Inflammation in the portal area
Grade 0	+
Grade 1						+
Grade 2					+
Grade 3			+	+
Grade 4		+
Hepatocellular necrosis
Grade 0	+					+
Grade 1				+	+
Grade 2			+
Grade 3		+
Grade 4
Lymphocytic inflammatory infiltration
Grade 0	+
Grade 1
Grade 2					+	+
Grade 3				+
Grade 4		+	+

OV, Origanum vulgare; CP, cyclophosphamide. The graded damage for all three factors was the highest for the single CP dose (200 mg/kg) animals and these results indicate severe liver damage 24 h after CP administration. Origanum vulgare pretreatment for 7 consecutive days reduced the level of liver tissue damage in a dose-dependent manner.