Hepatoprotective effects of Tribulus terrestris, Ashwagandha and N-acetylcysteine on liver fibrosis in carbon tetrachloride-induced rats

Abstract

Fibrosis, which develops during the progression of liver damage, is the previous stage of cirrhosis. Carbon tetrachloride is one of the most commonly used hepatic toxins in experimental animal models of liver fibrosis. It was investigated the hepatoprotective effects of Tribulus terrestris, Ashwagandha and N-acetylcysteine in an experimental model of liver fibrosis induced by carbon tetrachloride in this study. Fifty Wistar rats were divided into five groups of 10 each, as follows: 1) Control, 2) Carbon tetrachloride, 3) Carbon tetrachloride plus N-acetylcysteine, 4) Carbon tetrachloride plus T. terrestris, and 5) Carbon tetrachloride plus Ashwagandha group. At the end of 6 weeks, the rats were sacrificed, and serum and tissue samples were collected. Aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase, malondialdehyde, NF-κB, collagen 1, nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2, tumor necrosis factor-α were analyzed, and histopathological evaluation was performed. There were no significant differences in serum aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase levels of the N-acetylcysteine-treated group versus those in the T. terrestris-and Ashwagandha-treated groups (p > 0.05). Liver malondialdehyde levels were lower in the Nacetylcysteine-, T. terrestris-and Ashwagandha-treated groups than in the carbon tetrachloride-administered group (p < 0.001). There were differences between groups in NF-κB, collagen 1, nuclear factor erythroid-2related factor 2 and tumor necrosis factor-α levels (p < 0.05). In conclusion, T. terrestris, Ashwagandha and Nacetylcysteine had protective effects on the liver in this experimental fibrosis model. T. terrestris was a little more effective than Ashwagandha in combating liver fibrosis.

The Hepatoprotective and Anti-Nephrotoxic Potential of Methanolic Extract of a Polyherbal Preparation in CCl4-Induced Liver Injury Model of Wistar Rats

“…25 Various studies have reported the presence of phenolics, flavonoids, and anthraquinones in the A racemosus, M pruriens, A pyrethrum, and T terrestris used to prepare the PHP as a trweatment of liver injury in current study. [26][27][28][29][30][31] The presence of these phytochemicals with proven antioxidant potential are responsible for the reversal of liver injury in current study. 32 Kidneys play a vital role in the excretion of toxins such as creatinine, uric acid, and urea.…”

Promising phytopharmacology, nutritional potential, health benefits, and traditional usage of Tribulus terrestris L. herb

“…Similarly, hepatoprotective effects of T. terrestris , Ashwagandha, and N-acetylcysteine were measured by Ref. [ 78 ], in the liver of Wistar rats that had undergone experimental fibrosis induced by carbon tetrachloride. Malondialdehyde, NF-kB, collagen 1, nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2, and tumor necrosis factor all showed numerical declines in the treatment groups when compared to the control, but aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase levels were unaffected.…”