Bioactivity-guided identification of a quercetin-rich ethyl acetate fraction from <i>Ipomoea pes-tigridis</i> L. conferring robust antioxidant defense and hepatoprotection against paracetamol-induced liver injury

The present study evaluated the hepatoprotective potential of Ipomoea pes-tigridis L. whole-plants extracts in paracetamol-induced hepatotoxic rat model. Sequential Soxhlet extraction yielded petroleum ether, ethyl acetate, and methanolic extracts, which were assessed at 200 mg/kg following of acute toxicity confirmation (2000 mg/kg). Paracetamol administration (2 g/kg) significantly elevated lipid peroxidation (TBARS: liver 2.99 ± 0.04 vs. control 1.44 ± 0.02 nmol MDA/g) and reduced antioxidant defences, including superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione S-transferase (GST), and glutathione (GSH) (p < 0.01). Pre-treatment with the ethyl acetate extract markedly restored antioxidant enzymes activities (e.g. hepatic SOD 5.83 ± 0.02 vs. 3.39 ± 0.03 in paracetamol group), and normalise total protein levels (7.21 ± 0.04 vs. 4.70 ± 0.02 g/dL), comparable to silymarin. Histopathology confirmed near-complete preservation of hepatic architecture. These findings demonstrate that the quercetin-rich ethyl acetate extract of Ipomoea pes-tigridis L. confers significant antioxidant-mediated hepatoprotection against paracetamol-induced liver injury.