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Hepatoprotective effect of desi and kabuli cultivars of <i>Cicer arietinum</i> L (chick peas) against carbon tetrachloride-induced toxicity in rats


Mudasir Majeed
Abdullah Ijaz Hussain
Haseeb Anwar
Shahzad Irfan
Shahzad Ali Shahid Chatha
Qasim Ali
Imran Mukhtar
Zahra Hafeez

Abstract

Purpose: To determine the hepatoprotective potential of ethanol extracts of desi and kabuli cultivars of Cicer arietinum L. (chick peas).


Methods: Hepatotoxicity was induced in rats using oral administration of carbon tetrachloride (CCl4). The rats were then orally administered different doses of the ethanol extracts of desi and kabuli cultivars of Cicer arietinum L. for 21 days. Oxidative stress parameters and hepatoprotective profiles were determined in serum samples using standard procedures. The effect of the treatments on liver histology was also determined.


Results: Administration of extracts of desi and kabuli cultivars of Cicer arietinum L. to CCl4 treated rats at a dose of 300 mg/kg resulted in a significant (p ≤ 0.05) decrease in oxidative stress parameters, whereas catalase activity significantly increased (p ≤ 0.05); on the other hand, ALT and AST levels were decreased significantly (p ≤ 0.05), when compared to the control group.


Conclusion: High doses of Cicer arietinum L (desi and kabuli cultivars) seem to have hepatoprotective and antioxidant effects on CCl4-induced toxicity in rats. This finding underscores the therapeutic importance of Cicer arietinum L. as a plant with hepatoprotective properties.


Keywords: Cicer arietinum, Phenolics, Hepatotoxicity, Chick peas, Catalase


Journal Identifiers


eISSN: 1596-9827
print ISSN: 1596-5996