Synergetic Hepatoprotective Effect of Phenolic Fractions Obtained from Ficus Carica Dried Fruit and Extra Virgin Olive Oil on CCL4 -Induced Oxidative Stress and Hepatotoxicity in Rats

This study aimed to investigate the possible hepatoprotective effect of the Ficus carica dried fruits, extra virgin olive oil and their phenolic fractions on CCl4-induced oxidative stress and hepatotoxicity in rats. Administration of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) (3.0 g/kg/day) per oral (p.o.) and their methanol extract (MEEVOO) (2.1 mg/kg/day) intravenously (i.v.) for 7 days significantly prevented CCl4-induced elevation of levels of serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase (GPT), glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (GOT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP). The methanol dried fig extract (MEDF) (38.07 mg/kg/day, i.v.) was found to be more hepatoprotective than the dried figs (DF) (4 g/kg/day, p.o.). Administration of MEEVOO with the MEDF significantly prevented CCl4-induced elevation of levels of serum GPT, GOT and ALP. Treatment of rats with CCl4 led to a marked increase in lipid peroxidation as measured by malondialdehyde (MDA). Hepatic antioxidant enzyme, Catalase (CAT) was significantly decreased in all treated animals. Practical Applications Dried fig (Ficus carica L.) fruit is an important part of traditional Mediterranean Algerian diet since antiquity and widely consumed with extra virgin olive oil because of their nutritional importance along with their medicinal value. Obtained results suggest a synergistic functionality of dried figs and extra virgin olive oil extracts. The observed hepatoprotective effect is believed to occur due to antioxidant properties of the contents of extra virgin olive oil and dried figs extract, which may provide a new drug to be used for prophylaxis against liver diseases and it validates its folkloric use by Algerian people.