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Extracts of Hura crepitans L. stem bark attenuate liver injury and inflammation induced by CCl4 in rats

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Abstract

Medicinal plants play a vital role in the healthcare of many people in Africa and other developing countries. Of these, Hura crepitans L. is used in some parts of Nigeria and Ghana in the management of liver diseases. This study evaluated the hepatoprotective effects of the aqueous (AE) and ethanolic extracts (EE) of H. crepitans stem bark in CCl4-induced liver injury in Sprague-Dawley rats. Liver injury was induced by single oral administration of 1 mL/kg b.wt CCl4 (1:1 v/v olive oil). The effect of AE and EE was assessed at 250 mg/kg p.o. Serum and liver biochemical markers were measured, and liver was assessed for oxidative stress, morphological changes, and expression of some pro-inflammatory cytokines. EE, AE, and silymarin displayed significant hepatoprotective activities by ameliorating the activities of transaminase (ALT and AST) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and decreased the levels of total bilirubin (TBIL) following increases induced by CCl4. It further enhanced the antioxidant defence enzymes and reduced glutathione (GSH) activities, while preventing lipid peroxidation. Extract further attenuated liver damage and inflammation by offering some inhibitory effect on nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) expression, leading to downregulation of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), interleukin-17 (IL-17), and interleukin-23 (IL-23). This study demonstrated AE and EE to be hepatoprotective, and the mechanism of hepatoprotection was through the enhancement of the antioxidant defence system with resultant mitigation of lipid peroxidation. They also showed hepatoprotective effect through the inhibition of NF-κB, thus leading to the reduction in inflammation.

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Funding

The current study was supported by funding through TETFund, Nigeria, awarded to Oluwole S. Owojuyigbe.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, KNUST, Kumasi, Ghana

    Oluwole S. Owojuyigbe, Christopher Larbie & Caleb K. Firempong

  2. Department of Science Laboratory Technology, Federal Polytechnic Ede, Ede, Nigeria

    Oluwole S. Owojuyigbe

  3. Department of Pharmacognosy, KNUST, Kumasi, Ghana

    Gustav Komlaga

  4. Department of Veterinary Pathology, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria

    Benjamin O. Emikpe

  5. Department of Biochemistry, Redeemer’s University, Ede, Nigeria

    Chiagoziem A. Otuechere

Authors
  1. Oluwole S. Owojuyigbe
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  2. Christopher Larbie
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  3. Caleb K. Firempong
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  4. Gustav Komlaga
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  5. Benjamin O. Emikpe
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  6. Chiagoziem A. Otuechere
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Contributions

Conceptualisation: Oluwole S. Owojuyigbe, Christopher Larbie, Caleb K. Firempong, Gustav Komlaga; methodology: Oluwole S. Owojuyigbe, Christopher Larbie, Benjamin O. Emikpe, and Chiagoziem A. Otuechere; formal analysis and investigation: Oluwole S. Owojuyigbe, Christopher Larbie, Benjamin O. Emikpe, and Chiagoziem A. Otuechere; writing—original draft preparation: Oluwole S. Owojuyigbe; writing—review and editing: Oluwole S. Owojuyigbe, Christopher Larbie, Caleb K. Firempong, Gustav Komlaga, Benjamin O. Emikpe, and Chiagoziem A. Otuechere; funding acquisition: Oluwole S. Owojuyigbe; resources: Oluwole S. Owojuyigbe, Christopher Larbie, Benjamin O. Emikpe, and Chiagoziem A. Otuechere; supervision: Christopher Larbie, Caleb K. Firempong, Gustav Komlaga

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Correspondence to Christopher Larbie.

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All animals were humanely handled during the experiment. The study protocol was reviewed and approved by a veterinarian on the research team.

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Owojuyigbe, O.S., Larbie, C., Firempong, C.K. et al. Extracts of Hura crepitans L. stem bark attenuate liver injury and inflammation induced by CCl4 in rats. Comp Clin Pathol 29, 1199–1208 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00580-020-03172-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00580-020-03172-2

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