ANTI-HEPATOFIBROTIC EFFECT OF METHANOL STEM BARK EXTRACT OF BOMBAX COSTATUM AGAINST CCL4 INDUCED LIVER FIBROSIS IN MICE
Keywords:
Keywords: Antioxidant, Bombax costatum, Carbon tetrachloride, Fibrosis, HepatoprotectiveAbstract
Background: Liver fibrosis is a sequela of wound healing from chronic liver injury.
Bombax costatum (BC) stem bark was reported to possess hepatoprotective activity in rats.
Aim: This study was conducted to evaluate anti-hepatofibrotic effect of methanol stem bark
extract of BC against CCl4 induced hepatofibrosis in mice.
Methods: The mice were divided into 7 groups (n=5). Normal control (Group I) mice were
administered 0.4 ml/kg of olive oil twice weekly for 6 weeks while mice in the remaining
groups (Group II-VII) received 0.4 ml/kg of Carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) in olive oil (1:1, v/v)
twice weekly for 6 weeks via intraperitoneal route. Mice in toxic control group (Group II)
were euthanized 72 hours after the last dose of CCl4 while mice in CCl4 control group (Group
III) were observed for another 2 weeks for spontaneous resolution of fibrosis. Mice in
standard control group (Group IV) received silymarin (100 mg/kg) daily for 2 weeks. Mice in
the treatment groups (Group V-VII) received methanol stem bark extract of BC once daily
orally for two weeks at doses of 31.25, 62.5 and 125 mg/kg body weight respectively. Effect
of treatment on tumour necrosis factor-α (TNFα), transforming growth factor-β1 (TGFβ1),
malondialdehyde (MDA), reduced glutathione (GSH), catalase levels and liver
histopathology were evaluated.
Results: This study demonstrated that methanol stem bark extract of BC reversed CCl4
induced hepatofibrosis as demonstrated by significant reduction (p<0.001) in TGFβ1, MDA,
GSH and collagen deposition in liver when compared with CCl4 control group.
Conclusion: The reversal of liver fibrosis by BC stem bark could be due of its antioxidant
activity and its ability to down regulate the TGFβ1 signalling pathway of liver fibrosis.
