Antioxidant and hepatoprotective activities of Dicoma anomala Sond. aqueous root extract against carbon tetrachloride-induced liver damage in Wistar rats.

To evaluates the antioxidant and hepatoprotective potentials of Dicoma anomala Sond. (Asteraceae) on body weight, feed and water intake, biochemical parameters and organ histology.

Various concentrations (1.56-25 μg/mL) were used in the in vitro assays 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH, superoxide anion, hydroxyl radicals, etc.). The effects of treatment with 125, 250 and 250 mg/mL Dicoma anomala aqueous roots extract (DARE) was investigated in vivo in the CCl4-induced hepatotoxic rats during the 15 days study.

Water extract exhibited the best activity (IC50: 15.20 ± 0.03, 11.70 ± 0.10, and 0.84 ± 0.05 μg/ mL) in vitro in DPPH, hydroxyl and superoxide anion radicals, respectively, when compared with standards. Pre-treatment and treatment with different concentrations of DARE significantly (P < 0.05) attenuated the elevated serum activities of aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase levels while increasing the activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase. The histopathological evaluations revealed extensive liver damage characterized by severe vacuolar and cytoplasmic degeneration, hepatic necrosis, and cellular infilteration in pre-treated groups while in the treated groups; such liver damages were not observed most especially at 500 mg/kg dose.

The results proved the hepatoprotective potential of DARE against CCl4-induced oxidative stress. Moreover, histopathological examinations revealed better therapeutic advantage of DARE than prophylactic use.