Terminalia bellerica aerial parts ethyl acetate extract exhibits antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antifibrotic activity in carbon tetrachloride-intoxicated mice

The hepatoprotective activity of Terminalia bellerica aerial parts was evaluated in chemically induced murine toxicity model. The antioxidant potential of methanol, ethyl acetate, diethyl ether, petroleum ether and chloroform extract was determined in vitro. The most potent, T. bellerica ethyl acetate extract (TBE), was administered to BALB/cN mice in doses of 100 and 300 mg/kg by oral gavage, once daily for 2 consecutive days following carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-intoxication. TBE significantly ameliorated hepatic necrosis, which coincided with decreased expression of oxidative stress biomarkers, 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE) and 3-nitrotyrosine (3-NT), and restored P450 2E1 (CYP2E1) expression. TBE also reduced nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) overexpression in injured livers, indicating amelioration of inflammatory response. Additionally, hepatic fibrosis, evidenced by transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-β1) and alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) expression, was significantly suppressed. The results of the current study suggest a significant hepatoprotective activity of TBE, which was comparable with silymarin.