Hepatoprotective Effects of Moringa Oleifera Seeds Against Ethanol Induced Liver Damage In Wistar Rats

Abstract

Hepatocytes are reportedly susceptible to the injurious effects of oxidants when exposed to toxic substances such as Ethanol . The widespread claims of the medicinal efficacy of various parts of Moringa oleifera plant have been well documented in literature. Oil was extracted from seeds and acetone extract was prepared from defatted seeds and evaluate antioxidant properties. The in vitro antioxidant of oil and acetone extract of Moringa oleifera (M. oleifera) seeds were assayed by DPPH scavenging activity and reducing power. The in vivo hepatoprotective effects evaluated in male Wistar rats against ethanol induced liver damage in preventive and curative models. The M. oleifera oil and acetone extract (300 mg/kg body weight (bw), and silymarin (100 mg/kg bw) were administered orally in both the studies. Liver injury was induced by 40% ethanol administration (3.76 gm/kg bw, orally) for 30 days. Both moringa oil and acetone extract showed a good amount of phenols and flavonoids and appeared antioxidant activity in reducing power and DPPH scavenging activity assay, while the oil of moringa was the more effective one compared with acetone extract. The level of plasma aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) , total bilirubin , albumin, total protein and plasma antioxidant state (MDA content and catalase activity) were determined to assay hepatotoxicity. Ethanol administration caused severe hepatic damage in rats as evidenced by elevated plasma AST, ALT, ALP , total bilirubin, albumin, , total protein , MDA content and catalase activity levels. The oil , acetone extract of M. oleifera and silymarin administration prevented the toxic effect of ethanol on the above plasma parameters in preventive model. The present study concludes that oil and acetone extract of M. oleifera seeds have significant antioxidant and hepatoprotective activity against ethanol induced hepatotoxicity. Key words: Moringa oil , Moringa acetone extract, ethanol, antioxidant, liver,.