Evaluation of methanolic extract of Phragmites karka on carbon tetrachloride-induced liver fibrosis in rat

Abstract

Phragmites karka has been reported for its anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities. Here, extracts of leaf and rhizome of the plant were individually investigated in CCl4-induced hepatofibrosis in male Wistar rats by adminis tering CCl4 intraperitoneally biweekly for 6 weeks. Afterwards the animals were investigated for liver fibrosis at biochemical, molecular and histological levels, and it showed a profound increase (p<0.001) in elevation of serum levels of transaminases, DŽ-glutamyl transpeptidase, mRNA expression of ǂ smooth muscle actin, collagen and transforming growth factor beta (TGFǃ), and extracellular matrix deposition and perilobular necrosis. Both extracts markedly (p<0.001) decreased the elevated levels of these markers. Histopathological investigations also substantiated the above results by exhibiting a decreased in extracellular matrix deposition in post-treatment animals. In conclusion, both extracts had substantially modified the bioche mical and molecular markers of liver fibrosis, in addition to histological improvement in architecture of liver