Effects of Callophyllis japonica powder on carbon tetrachloride-induced liver injury in rats

Abstract

A limited number of studies have been conducted on the bioactivity of Callophyllis japonica (C. japonica), which is a red seaweed that is traditional in the oriental diet. In this report, the hepatoprotective effect of C. japonica was studied in a carbon tetrachloride hepatotoxicity model in rats. A single intraperitoneal injection of 1.25 ml/kg of 20% in olive oil produced an elevated level of serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT) and increased enzyme activity of serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT). Pre-treatment with C. japonica (150 mg/kg/d) for 3 days in rats reduced the levels of SGPT and SGOT compared with control levels (P injection in rats was ineffective at reducing SGPT and SGOT. The histopathological findings in each group largely agreed with the biochemical data. The results of this study support the suggestion that C. japonica has a hepatoprotective effect on chemical-induced liver injury.