ABSTRACT
Objective: This study was undertaken to investigate the hepatoprotective and antioxidant activity of Quercus ilex leaves extract (QILE) on ethanol-induced toxicity in Wistar rats. Methods: Hepatotoxicity was induced by administering ethanol (40%) at a dose of 7.9 gm/kg/day; p. o. (1:1 of ethanol in olive oil) for 28 d. Silymarin 100 mg/kg/day; p. o. was used as a standard drug. The whole study was divided into a prophylactic and curative study. In the prophylactic study, the Silymarin and QILE (test drug) 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg Body Weight(BW) given orally one hour before administration of 40% ethanol administration for 28 d. In the curative study, 7 d of treatment of Silymarin and QILE 200 and 400 mg/kg BW was given orally after 28 d of ethanol administration to different groups. Results: Hepatoprotectivity was confirmed by the highly significantly (p<0.001) restoration of elevated biochemical parameters like SGPT, SGOT, ALP, TB, and highly significantly (p<0.001) depleted Albumin and Total protein levels by 200 mg/kg BW QILE in comparison to the positive control group. QILE 200 mg/kg highly significantly (p<0.001) raised the antioxidants by draining the elevated oxidative stress markers in comparison of positive control group. At dose levels QILE 200 mg/kg, significant (p<0.05) protection from loss in body weight and in liver weight was found when the comparison was done with the positive control group. Histopathology revealed that QILE 200 mg/kg reduced the markers of cell necrosis. Conclusion: Present study revealed that Quercus ilex leaves have antioxidant and hepatoprotective activity due to its chemical constituents.