Evaluation of methanolic extract of Phragmites karka on carbon tetrachloride-induced liver fibrosis in rat

Abstract

<p class="Abstract"><em>Phragmites karka</em> has been reported for its anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities. Here, extracts of leaf and rhizome of the plant were individually investigated in CCl<sub>4</sub>-induced hepatofibrosis in male Wistar rats by administering CCl<sub>4</sub> intraperitoneally biweekly for 6 weeks. Afterwards the animals were investigated for liver fibrosis at biochemical, molecular and histological levels, and it showed a profound increase (p<0.001) in elevation of serum levels of transaminases, γ-glutamyl transpeptidase, mRNA expression of α smooth muscle actin, collagen and transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ), and extracellular matrix deposition and perilobular necrosis. Both extracts markedly (p<0.001) decreased the elevated levels of these markers. Histopathological investigations also substantiated the above results by exhibiting a decreased in extracellular matrix deposition in post-treatment animals. In conclusion, both extracts had substantially modified the biochemical and molecular markers of liver fibrosis, in addition to histological improvement in architecture of liver.</p>

Anti-fibrotic effects of polygonum plebeium r.br. in CCl4-induced hepatic damage and fibrosis in rats

“…Treatment with P. plebeium extracts attenuated the CCl 4 -induced functional impairment and liver fibrosis, including reversal of HSC activation as demonstrated by suppressed expression of α-SMA, TGF-β and collagen mRNA (Figure 2). These results are also in line with earlier studies [21,29].…”

“…Biomedical Research and Therapy 2018, 5(4): [2223][2224][2225][2226][2227][2228][2229][2230][2231][2232][2233] results are in accordance with earlier studies which showed that plant extracts possess antioxidant properties and have hepatoprotective effects in CCl 4 -induced model of liver injury [21,29]. CCl 4 toxicity induces oxidative stress which leads not only to hepatocyte damage but also to release of cytokines such as TGF-β.…”

“…Liver fibrosis and cirrhosis due to viral hepatitis are main reasons for high mortality rate and disease burden worldwide, especially in developing countries [28]. CCl 4 is widely used experimentally to study liver inflammation, fibrosis and cirrhosis [21,29]. It induces hepatic damage by the formation of free radicals during reductive dehalogenation by cytochrome P-450 during its metabolism which causes lipid peroxidation of cellular membranes, leading to necrosis.…”

“…Liver fibrosis was induced by CCl 4 according to an established protocol [21]. Briefly, CCl 4 was injected intraperitoneally (i.p.)…”

“…Total RNA was extracted from a small piece of frozen rat liver using Wizol TM reagent, followed by cDNA synthesis using M-MLV cDNA synthesis kit (Enzynomics, Inc., Korea). Real-time PCR was conducted using TOPreal TM qPCR 2X PreMIX (SYBR Green with low ROX) by Enzynomics using primer sets and the methods previously described [21]. Real-time PCR data was analyzed by measuring relative expression and standard deviation as previously described [27].…”