Evaluation of the effectiveness of Piper cubeba extract in the amelioration of CCl4-induced liver injuries and oxidative damage in the rodent model

Biomed Res Int. 2015:2015:359358. doi: 10.1155/2015/359358. Epub 2015 Jan 14.

Abstract

Background. Liver diseases still represent a major health burden worldwide. Moreover, medicinal plants have gained popularity in the treatment of several diseases including liver. Thus, the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of Piper cubeba fruits in the amelioration of CCl4-induced liver injuries and oxidative damage in the rodent model. Methods. Hepatoprotective activity was assessed using various biochemical parameters like SGOT, SGPT, γ-GGT, ALP, total bilirubin, LDH, and total protein. Meanwhile, in vivo antioxidant activities as LPO, NP-SH, and CAT were measured in rat liver as well as mRNA expression of cytokines such as TNFα, IL-6, and IL-10 and stress related genes iNOS and HO-1 were determined by RT-PCR. The extent of liver damage was also analyzed through histopathological observations. Results. Treatment with PCEE significantly and dose dependently prevented drug induced increase in serum levels of hepatic enzymes. Furthermore, PCEE significantly reduced the lipid peroxidation in the liver tissue and restored activities of defense antioxidant enzymes NP-SH and CAT towards normal levels. The administration of PCEE significantly downregulated the CCl4-induced proinflammatory cytokines TNFα and IL-6 mRNA expression in dose dependent manner, while it upregulated the IL-10 and induced hepatoprotective effect by downregulating mRNA expression of iNOS and HO-1 gene.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antioxidants / pharmacology
  • Biphenyl Compounds / metabolism
  • Carbon Tetrachloride
  • Catalase / metabolism
  • Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / drug therapy*
  • Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / metabolism*
  • Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / pathology
  • Cytokines / genetics
  • Cytokines / metabolism
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Ethanol
  • Free Radical Scavengers / pharmacology
  • Lignans / pharmacology*
  • Lignans / therapeutic use*
  • Liver / drug effects
  • Liver / metabolism
  • Liver / pathology
  • Male
  • Malondialdehyde / metabolism
  • Oxidative Stress / drug effects*
  • Phytochemicals / pharmacology
  • Picrates / metabolism
  • Piper
  • Plant Extracts / pharmacology*
  • Plant Extracts / therapeutic use*
  • Protective Agents / pharmacology
  • Protective Agents / therapeutic use
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism
  • Rats, Wistar
  • Sulfhydryl Compounds / metabolism

Substances

  • Antioxidants
  • Biphenyl Compounds
  • Cytokines
  • Free Radical Scavengers
  • Lignans
  • Phytochemicals
  • Picrates
  • Piper cubeba extract
  • Plant Extracts
  • Protective Agents
  • RNA, Messenger
  • Sulfhydryl Compounds
  • Ethanol
  • Malondialdehyde
  • Carbon Tetrachloride
  • 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl
  • Catalase