<i>Duranta erecta</i> L. extracts exert hepatoprotective effect on CCl4-induced toxicity via inactivating NF-kB pathway

Abstract Objectives The incidence of hepatic diseases is on the increase worldwide despite recent advances in modern medicine and search for alternative therapy. This work evaluated the hepatoprotective effect of Duranta erecta leaves (DRL) and ripe fruit (DRR) extracts on subacute carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced hepatotoxicity in experimental animal models. Methods Liver injury was induced in experimental animals by administering CCl4 (1:1 v/v in olive oil, intraperitoneally (i.p.), twice weekly for 8 weeks) after pretreatment with 250 mg/kg DRL, DRR, and 120 mg/kg silymarin orally (daily for 8 weeks). The effect of treatment on haematological parameters, biochemical markers, such as aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total bilirubin (TBil), alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), liver oxidative stress markers, and inflammatory cytokines (interleukin [IL]-17, IL-23, nuclear factor kappa beta [NF-kB], and cycloxygenase-2 [COX-2]), as well as liver histology were evaluated. Key findings CCl4 administration resulted in significant increase in AST, ALT, ALP, TBil, and AFP compared with normal. Pretreatment with the extracts, particularly, ripe fruits of D. erecta restored these to normal levels comparable to silymarin. Histopathological findings of the liver were also found to be lessened. Similarly, DRR treatment reduced the expression of NF-kB indicating its anti-inflammatory activity. Conclusions The results of this study suggest that hydroethanolic D. erecta ripe fruit extract possesses subacute protective effect by suppressing the activation of NF-kB pathway.