SCREENING OF SOME EGYPTIAN PLANTS FOR THEIR ANTIOXIDANT AND HEPATOPROTECTIVE ACTIVITIES

Abstract: ABSTRACT
Free radicals react with biological molecules and destroy the structure of cells, which eventually causes free radical induced disease such as cancer, liver disease, aging, etc. The use of synthetic drugs has severe side effects. Therefore, it is useful to return to the natural antioxidants to overcome the side effect. This study was to screen a number of plant material that are widely used in Egypt to evaluate their in vitro antioxidant activities and in vivo hepatoprotective and curative effects on carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced hepatotoxic in rats liver in order to find new potential sources of natural antioxidants.
The ethanolic extracts of guava leaves, cinnamon bark and pomegranate peel gave the highest preventing value against formation of TBARS in mitochondria suspension, deoxyribose degradation induced by hydroxyl radicals and DPPH• radical scavenging activity compared to rutin.
The highest amounts of phenolic compound as gallic acid were found rutin > Pomegranate Peel > Cinnamon bark, Guava leaves > Roselle flowers, Grape leaves. However, cabbage leaves had the lowest content of total phenolic compound. The GC–MS chromatographic separation of compounds of the guava leaves and pomegranate peel ethanolic extracts were identified. A total of twenty-five and twenty-nine compounds found, respectively.
In the hepatoprotective period, rats treated with pomegranate peel and guava leaves ethanolic extracts or silymarin for 21 consecutive days could significantly decreased in the liver weight when compared with CCl4-treated group. In the curative period, rats treated with pomegranate peel and guava leaves ethanolic extracts or silymarin completely restored the increase of liver weight and no significant difference when compared with normal group.
In the hepatoprotective period, rats treated with pomegranate peel ethanolic extracts or silymarin during CCl4 administration significantly increased in the serum total protein content and albumin when compared with CCl4-treated group. No significant effects were observed on the serum globulin contents compared with normal control. In the curative groups, the highest increase in serum total protein content and globulin were noticed in the rats treated with pomegranate peel ethanolic extracts.
In the hepatoprotective and curative periods, rats treated with pomegranate peel and guava leaves ethanolic extracts or silymarin significantly decreased in the activities of ALT, AST, GGT, lysosomal enzymes (ACP, B-GAL and B-NAG) and lipid peroxidation when compared with CCl4-treated group. Significantly increases were found in the activities of SOD and CAT enzymes when compared with CCl4-treated group. The content of reduced glutathione and GST in all treatments generally decreased as compared with normal group except treatment rats with guava leaves ethanolic extracts.
In the hepatoprotective and curative period, the highest damages in liver tissue were found in the order carbon tetrachloride > guava leaf ethanolic extract > silymarin > pomegranate peel ethanolic extract > normal control. This clearly explained the reason for the antioxidant activity of guava leaves, pomegranate peel and silymarin.
Publication year 2008
Organization Name
Country Egypt
Author(s) from ARC
External authors (outside ARC)
    محي الدين علي عثمان كلية الزراعة- جامعة القاهرة
    مصطفي محمد فرج كلية الزراعة- جامعة القاهرة
Publication Type PhD Thesis
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