Phytochemical study and protective effect of Trigonella foenum graecum (Fenugreek seeds) against carbon tetrachloride-induced toxicity in liver and kidney of male rat

Liver and kidney diseases are a global concern, therefore considerable efforts to obtain fine herbs useful as drugs from medicinal plants are currently in progress. The aim of this work was to study the antioxidant effects of previous supplementation with fenugreek seeds (FS) against carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) toxicity in the liver and kidney. CCl4 toxicity was induced by one dose (i.g. 5 ml CCl4/kg of body weight, 50% CCl4 in olive oil) after 7 weeks of normal diet or diet rich in 10% of grinded fenugreek seeds (20 g of pellet rat food/rat/day). 24 h after the treatment with CCl4, all animals were scarified and biological analyses were performed. A phytochemical study of fenugreek seed extract (FSE) was also carried out. The phytochemical analysis of FS and FSE revealed the presence of polyphenols (5.92 ± 0.02 mg EGA/g DM), flavonoids (0.44 ± 0.19 mg ER/g DM), polysaccharides and trace elements. DPPH radical-scavenging activity of FSE showed an EC50 of 285.59 ± 2.01 μg/ml. In vivo, CCl4 administration significantly (p < 0.05) induced an increase liver and kidney biomarkers. A significant (p < 0.05) alteration of the antioxidant enzyme activities was also observed. In animals pretreated with FS, the studied parameters were much less shifted. These results indicate that the supplementation with fenugreek seeds is significantly effective in protecting the liver and kidneys from CCl4 toxicity.