Hepatoprotective Effect Of Rhubarb Roots Against Carbon Tetrachloride-Induced Hepatotoxicity In Rats

Abstract

Rhubarb (Rheum rhabarbarum L.) is a perennial herbaceous plant widely used for public health, medicinal benefits and antioxidant properties. Hepatotoxicity refers to the dysfunction or damage in the liver associated with an overload of drugs or other foreign matters of the body. The present study distended to study the hepatoprotective effect of Rhubarb Roots (RRs) against carbon tetrachloride (CCL4) -induced hepatotoxicity in rats. Forty rats were divided into five groups, of eight rats each. Group 1, normal rats (negative control group) fed on the basal diet alone. Groups 2, 3, 4 and 5 were injected intraperitoneally with 1 ml/kg B. Wt. of CCl4 in paraffin oil (1:1) once weekly to induce liver toxicity. Hepatotoxic rats in the group 2 (positive control group) were fed only on the basal diet, while groups 3, 4 and 5 (treatment groups) were nourished on supplemented basal diet with 5, 10 and 15% of RRs, respectively. Hepatotoxic rats who received an enriched diet with the three different levels of RRs have a significant decrease (p<0.05) in the serum activity of AST, ALT and alkaline phosphatase enzymes. Additionally, serum concentrations of total bilirubin, direct and indirect, total protein, albumin, urea, creatinine, uric acid and malondialdehyde (MDA) decreased significantly (P<0.05). While the serum activities of CAT, GSH, GPx and SOD enzymes were significantly increased, compared to hepatotoxic rats that feed solely on the basal diet. Histopathological examination also showed an evident improvement in the liver and renal tissues of hepatotoxic rats fed on the enriched basal diet with different levels of RR. Finally, the existing study illustrated that RR could improve the liver and kidney functions and activity of antioxidant enzymes by eliminating the deleterious toxic effect of CCl₄, especially with the higher levels of RRs.