Hepatoprotective and cytoprotective properties of Hyptis suaveolens against oxidative stress–induced damage by CCl4 and H2O2.

Abstract: Objective: To investigate capacity of Hyptis suaveolens (H. suaveolens) methanol extract as an antioxidant to protect against carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄)-induced oxidative stress, hepatotoxicity in Albino Wistar rats and cytoprotective effect of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) induced cell death in HepG₂ cell line. Methods: Two different doses of methanol extract of H. suaveolens were evaluated for the hepatoprotective activity against carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄) induced hepatotoxicity in rats. Animals in Group I: served as control, group II: H. suaveolens (100 mL/kg b.w), group III: H. suaveolens (50 mL/kg b.w) + CCl₄ (1 mg/kg), group IV: H. suaveolens (100 mL/kg b.w) + CCl₄ (1 mL/kg) and group V: CCl₄ (1 mL/kg). Histopathologic changes of liver were also evaluated. Cytotoxicity was also determined by 3, (4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)2,5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Results: Oral sigle dose treatment of CCl₄ produced a marked elevation in the serum levels of aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). Histopathological analysis of the liver of CCl₄-induced rats revealed marked liver cell necrosis with inflammatory collections that were conformed to increase in the levels of SOD, GSH, GST, GR and LPO. Treatment with H₂O₂ significantly induced death of HepG₂ cell. Pretreatment with H. suaveolens methanol extract inhibited or attenuated H₂O₂ induced cytotoxicity. Conclusions: This study shows that H. suaveolens methanol extract can be proposed to protect the liver against CCl₄-induced oxidative damage in rats and protect the cells against H₂O₂-induced oxidative damage in HepG₂ cells. The hepatoprotective and cytoprotective effects might be correlated with its antioxidant and free radical scavenger effects. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]