Protective effects of Plantago asiatica L. extract against ferric‐nitrilotriacetate (Fe‐NTA) induced liver oxidative stress in Wistar rats

Abstract

The Plantago asiatica L.(PA), a native plant in East Asia (Korea, Japan and China etc.), traditionally used as a popular folk for the treatment of liver diseases. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the liver protective effects of PA extract(PAE) on the Ferric‐nitrilotriacetate(Fe‐NTA)‐induced oxidative hepatotoxicity. Fe‐NTA is a potent hepatotoxic agent and has been reported to induce hepatocyte necrosis. The study of liver protection effect that pretreatment with PAE(1, 2, 4 g/kg b.w.) by gavage to Wistar rats for 7 days before a single dose of Fe‐NTA(13.5 mg Fe/kg b.w., i.p.). Only Fe‐NTA treated group showed significantly increased the serum levels of the hepatic enzyme, aspartate aminotransferase(AST) and alanine aminotransferase(ALT) which is representative liver damage marker, and liver tissue malondialdehyde(MDA), product of lipid peroxidation. Moreover, the level of biomarkers indicate the antioxidants status, glutathione(GSH), glutathione‐S‐transferase(GST), glutathione reductase(GR) and superoxide dismutase(SOD) in liver tissue were decreased. However, PAE pre‐treated group showed decreases in the levels of serum AST and ALT and liver tissue MDA in concentration dependent manner and increases in the level of GSH, GST, GR and SOD. These results are significantly different(p<0.05) to compare with only Fe‐NTA treated group. Thus, our study suggested that PAE might contribute to the chemopreventive material against Fe‐NTA‐mediated liver oxidative damage.