title: Ameliorative effect of methanol extract of Rumex vesicarius on CCl4-induced liver damage in Wistar albino rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Rumex vesicarius L. (Polygonaceae), an edible plant, is reported to have many bioactive phytochemicals, especially flavonoids and anthraquinones with antioxidant and detoxifying properties.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study evaluated the methanolic extract of R. vasicarius (MERV) for hepatoprotective activity in rats against CCl4-induced liver damage.
  
  
  METHODS
  The whole plant extract was prepared and investigated for its hepatoprotective activity. Rats were pretreated with MERV (100 and 200 mg/kg, p.o.) for 7 d prior to the induction of liver damage by CCl4. Animals were then sacrificed 24 h after CCl4 administration for the biochemical (AST, ALT, and ALP activity in serum; lipid peroxidation (LPO) and glutathione (GSH) levels in liver tissue) and histological analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  CCl4-induced hepatotoxicity was confirmed by an increase (p < 0.05) in serum AST (4.55-fold), ALT (3.51-fold), and ALP (1.82-fold) activities. CCl4-induced hepatotoxicity was also manifested by an increase (p < 0.05) in LPO (3.88-fold) and depletion of reduced glutathione (3.14-fold) activity in liver tissue. The multiple dose MERV administration at 200 mg/kg showed promising hepatoprotective activity as evident from significant decrease levels of serum AST (230.01 ± 13.21), serum ALT (82.15 ± 5.01), serum ALP (504.75 ± 19.72), hepatic LPO (3.38 ± 0.33), and increased levels of hepatic glutathione (0.34 ± 0.04) towards near normal. Further, biochemical results were confirmed by histopathological changes as compared with CCl4-intoxicated rats.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results obtained from this study indicate hepatoprotective activity of Rumex plant against CCl4-induced liver toxicity; hence, it can be used as a hepatoprotective agent.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Salman Bin Abdulaziz University , Al-Kharj , Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and.
authors.forename: Majid Ahmad
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Ganaie
authors.forename: Tajdar Husain
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.forename: Nasir Ali
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Siddiqui
authors.forename: Mohd Nazam
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Ansari
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride / Q000633:toxicity*; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D000432:Methanol / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D031804:Rumex; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride; D000432:Methanol
keywords: Antioxidant; aspartate transaminase; hepatotoxicity; liver damage