title: Phytochemical, antioxidant and hepatoprotective effects of Alnus nitida bark in carbon tetrachloride challenged Sprague Dawley rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Alnus nitida (Spach) Endl. is traditionally used for inflammatory disorders. Diarylheptanoids constituents having diverse therapeutically importance including hepato-protective was reported in A. nitida. The aim of this study was to explore the antioxidant and hepato-protective profile of A. nitida stem bark's crude methanol extract (ANM).
  
  
  METHODS
  Crude methanol extract of A. nitida stem bark and its derived fractions were assessed for phytochemical classes and in vitro antioxidant profiling by multidimensional assays. Hepato-protective assessment of ANM was investigated on rats, which were made hepatotoxic using carbon tetrachloride (CCl4). Additionally HPLC-DAD analysis of ANM, and its derived ethyl acetate and aqueous fraction was carried out to determine the presence of active constituents.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Qualitative analysis of crude extract-and its fractions depicted the presence of terpenoids, saponins, coumarins, phenols and flavonoids. Maximum quantity of total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) was recorded in ANM and its derived fractions; n-hexane (ANH), chloroform (ANC), ethyl acetate (ANE) and the residual aqueous (ANA). ANM exhibited the best total antioxidant capacity, total reducing power, and scavenging of DPPH and OH radicals. ANE and ANA exhibited strong scavenging potential for iron chelation, nitric oxide and β-carotene bleaching assay. ANM treatment converse the activities of serum-marker enzymes and lipid profile, altered by CCl4 treatment in rat. CCl4 induced hepatic-cirrhosis in rat resulted in decrease of antioxidant enzyme activities such as catalase, peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione-S-transferase and glutathione reductase-which were restored towards the normal level with ANM. Similarly diminished level of reduced glutathione while enhanced level of lipid peroxides, hydrogen peroxide and nitrite in liver of cirrhotic rats was normalized by treatment of ANM. The histopathological studies of liver tissues also represented that ANM possessed the hepato-protective activity. HPLC-DAD analysis against eight known standards confirmed the presence of gallic acid, catechin and rutin in ANM and in ANA while in ANE gallic acid was only detected.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Based on the results of antioxidants, restoration of various antioxidant enzymes and histopathological studies, the recent study concludes that antioxidant potential of A. nitida bark might protect the liver damages.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Moniba
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sajid
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan. mrkhanqau@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Muhammad Rashid
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.affiliation: Department of Biosciences, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Naseer Ali
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Sciences, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Sayed Afzal
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Gujrat, 50700, Gujrat, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Hammad
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ismail
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Tahira
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Younis
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Zartash
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zahra
mesh_terms: D029661:Alnus / Q000737:chemistry*; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride / Q000633:toxicity; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / Q000473:pathology; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction / Q000187:drug effects; D010636:Phenols / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D024301:Plant Bark / Q000737:chemistry*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D005419:Flavonoids; D010636:Phenols; D010936:Plant Extracts; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride
keywords: Alnus nitida; Antioxidant; Flavonoids; HPLC; Hepatoprotective; Phenolics