Hepatoprotective effect of acetonic and methanolic extracts of Heterotheca inuloides against CCl4-induced toxicity in rats

作者：Coballase Urrutia Elvia; Pedraza Chaverri Jose; Cardenas Rodriguez Noemi; Huerta Gertrudis Bernardino; Edna Garcia Cruz Mercedes; Ramirez Morales Aline; Javier Sanchez Gonzalez Dolores; Maria Martinez Martinez Claudia; Camacho Carranza Rafael; Javier Espinosa Aguirre Jesus

来源：Experimental and Toxicologic Pathology, 2011, 63(4): 363-370.

DOI：10.1016/j.etp.2010.02.012

• Heterotheca inuloides
• Mexican arnica
• Hepatotoxicity
• Antioxidant enzyme marker
• Hepatoprotective effect

A model of hepatotoxicity by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) in rats was used in order to evaluate the protective potential of the acetonic and methanolic extracts of Heterotheca inuloides. Pretreatment with the two H. inuloides extracts attenuated the increase in the activity of serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) observed in CCl4-induced liver injury. The protective effect was confirmed by the analysis of tissue slides stained with hematoxylin-eosin and periodic acid/Schiffs reagent. Additionally, the two extracts are scavengers to the superoxide radical as was observed by electron paramagnetic resonance. Due to the fact that the methanolic extract resulted in a better protective effect in the previous experiments, it was used to investigate in more detail the mechanism of hepatoprotection. Quercetin, one of the main components of the extract, with known hepatoprotective and antioxidant activity was used as a positive control. Pretreatment of animals with the methanolic extract or quercetin, was associated with the prevention of 4-hydroxynonenal and 3-nitrotyrosine increase in the liver, two markers of oxidative stress. Furthermore, the decrease in the activity of several antioxidant enzymes including superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase in CCl4-induced liver injury was alleviated by the pretreatment with H. inuloides methanolic extract or quercetin. These results suggest that the hepatoprotective capacity of H. inuloides methanolic extract is associated with its antioxidant properties, which would also explain the biomedical properties attributed to this plant.

• 出版日期2011-5