Evaluation of the Effect of Hydroalcoholic Extract of Dracocephalum Kotschyi Boiss on Hepatic Fibrosis Induced by Carbon Tetrachloride in Rats

Liver disease eventually leads to fibrosis, which is a type of collagenized tissue. D.kotschyi has compounds that have strong anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic properties. Due to the inflammatory nature of fibrosis, this study aims to investigate the effect of different doses of hydroalcoholic extract of D.kotschyi on liver fibrosis induced by carbon tetrachloride.

The D.kotschyi hydroalcoholic extract was prepared via maceration method in 70% ethanol. The groups (6 adult male rats in each) of animals included: Sham, Control, Tetrachloride carbon (CCl4), vitamin E as well as extracts plus CCl4. The extract of D.kotschyi was gavaged at 20, 40 or 80 mg/kg. In addition, the diluted CCl4 in olive oil (1:1) was injected at 1ml/kg intraperitoneally. The duration of treatment was 1 month. Then the blood sample and liver tissue of rats were extracted for biochemical and pathological examination.

Administration of the D.kotschyi for 1 month significantly reduced the level of Alkaline phosphatase (ALP), Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST), Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT) liver enzymes compared to CCl4 treated group (P < 0.001) as well as caused a significant improvement in the pathological features of fibrosis.

The present study showed a significant reduction in the amount of hepatic fibrosis caused by carbon tetrachloride in the pathology samples receiving the D.kotschyi extract. In addition, by increasing dose of the D.kotschyi, a significant decrease in liver enzymes was observed. The effect of the D.kotschyi in improving fibrosis at higher doses requires extensive studies.