Hepatoprotective activity of Pistacia vera L. gum extract in rats

Abstract

As the antioxidant effects of some species of Pistacia have been reported, the antiheptotoxicity effect of the hydroethanolic extract of P. vera gum was studied in rats. Hepatic injury was induced in rats using carbon tetrachloride (CCl4). The pretreatment of rats with P. vera gum extracts (0.5 and 1 g/kg, i.p.) reduced SGPT value in CCl4 treated animals but had no effect on SGOT level. LD50 value and the maximum non fatal dose of the gum were 3.77 and 1 g/kg (i.p.) in mice, respectively. The extract comprised flavonoids, saponins and hydrotannins. It is suggested that the ethanolic extract of P. vera gum has a protective activity against liver damage induced by CCl4 in rats.

Keywords

• hepatoprotective
• pistacia vera gum
• carbon tetrachloride
• sgpt
• sgot