Purpose: To explore the protective role of Mirazid® (MRZ), a mixture extracted from Commiphora molmol Engler (Burseraceae), against toxicity induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4

Aim of the work: the purpose of this study was to evaluate the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and hepatoprotective effects of extract from 3 olive leave cultivars; K18, Nibali and Sorani growing in Aljouf region, Saudi Arabia. Methods: all plants were extracted with 80% methanol and the extracts were used to determine the total phenolic content, the total flavonoid content, the DPPH radical and anti-lipid peroxidation scavenging activities. In vivo hepatoprotective effect of these olive leaves extracts (OLEs) was evaluated in rabbit intoxicated with CCl4. Expression of iNOS, caspase-3, TNF-α and IL-1β along with the histopathological findings of the examined liver were recorded to evaluate the extent of hepatoprotective of each extract. Results: methanolic extracts of all plants exhibited DPPH and peroxyl radicals scavenging activity that was well correlated with their total phenolic and flavonoid contents. The phenolic, flavonoid contents, DPPH, and peroxyl scavenging activities were in the following orders: Nibali˃ K18 ˃ Sorani. Pretreatment with OLE (400 mg/kg) along with CCl 4 was significantly alleviated liver damage as indicated by improvement of the microscopic picture of liver and reduced hepatic iNOS, caspase-3, TNF-αand IL-1β expression compared to CCl 4 intoxicated group. However, the hepatoprotective effects of Nibali and K18 OLEs were more prominent compared to those exerted by Sorani OLE. Conclusion: all OLEs had potent anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antiapoptotic activities that preserved hepatic cells against CCl4-induced hepatic damage through attenuation of pro-inflammatory cytokines, oxidative stress and apoptotic pathways, however, these activities were probably species dependent.

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The current study was designed to evaluate antioxidant properties and hepatoprotective effect of Mentha pulegium (M. pulegium). Antioxidant activity of ethanol M. pulegium extract was evaluated by 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging assay and its ability to inhibit lipid peroxidation was estimated by using liposome oxidation system. Total phenol and flavonoid contents were measured by folin-ciocalteau assay and AlCl 3 method respectively. M. pulegium extract effectively inhibited lipid peroxidation but it was less effective against DPPH free radicals. The possible hepatoprotective effect of M. pulegium extract was evaluated histopathologically and imunohistochemically. Hepatotoxicity was induced by single subcutaneous injection of CCl 4 at a dose of 0.75 ml/kg body weight. Massive hepatic damage in the form of hepatocellular degeneration, apoptosis and necrosis with marked immunoexpression of caspase-3 and iNOS were recorded in the examined liver after CCl 4 injection. Oral pre-administration of M. pulegium extract for 8 successive days to CCl 4 intoxicated rabbits, revealed significant improvement in the microscopic pictures of the examined liver with significant decrease immunoexpression of caspase-3 and iNOS compared with those of CCl 4 intoxicated group. The present study suggested that M. pulegium possess antioxidant activity that could protect hepatocytes against acute hepatic damage and its protective effect probably dose-dependent.