Hylocereus polyrhizus Fruit Peel Extract as a Hepatoprotective Agent: Histopathological Profile Study in Rattus norvegicus

Paracetamol overdose is a major cause of acute liver failure, necessitating the search for effective natural antidotes. The peel of Red Dragon Fruit (Hylocereus polyrhizus) is an abundant agro-waste product rich in betacyanins and flavonoids, yet its potential as a sustainable hepatoprotective agent remains underexplored. This study aimed to valorize this waste product by evaluating the hepatoprotective activity of H. polyrhizus peel extract against paracetamol-induced liver injury in Wistar rats. Twenty-five male Wistar rats were divided into five groups: Negative Control, Positive Control (Paracetamol-induced), and three treatment groups pretreated with the extract (100, 200, and 300 mg/kg BW) for 7 days. Liver injury was assessed quantitatively based on necrosis, ballooning degeneration, and steatosis scores. The Positive Control group exhibited severe hepatocellular damage (p<0.05). However, pretreatment with the extract significantly attenuated this damage in a dose-dependent manner. The dose of 200 mg/kg BW demonstrated superior efficacy, restoring hepatic architecture to a state statistically comparable to the healthy control (p>0.05). The study confirms that H. polyrhizus peel extract effectively mitigates paracetamol toxicity, with 200 mg/kg identified as the optimal dose. This research contributes to the pharmaceutical field by providing scientific evidence for repurposing fruit peel waste as a potent, cost-effective, and eco-friendly source of hepatoprotective compounds.