ABSTRACT
Cynara scolynius L. [Artichoke] grows in Egypt and other countries. Its green leaves and head are edible parts and used as foods due to their high nutritive value and medical properties. To study the effect of Cynara scolymus L. [balady artichoke] and its extract on liver cirrhosis of male rats. Sixty-four male albino rats, Sprague Dawley strain, weighing [200 +/- 10g] were housed in well-aerated wire cages. Induction of cirrhosis was carried out on rats except negative control group by subcutaneous injection of carbon tetrachloride [CCI[4]] that is diluted by paraffin oil [1:1] in a dose of 2ml/kg of body weight of rat twice in the week during the experimental feeding period. The rats [64] were divided into 8 groups [8 rats each], the first 1[st] and 2[nd] groups as control positive and negative groups [each 8 rats], the second main group [48 rat] was divided into six subgroups as follow: the 1[st] and 2[nd] subgroup fed on basal diet supplemented with powdered artichoke leaves in a dose of 15% and 30% respectively; the 3[rd] and 4[th] subgroups fed on basal diet supplemented with powdered artichoke heads in a dose of 15% and 30% respectively; the 5[th] and 6[th] subgroups fed on basal diet supplemented with artichoke extract in a dose of 3% and 6% respectively. At the end of the experimental period [two months] rats were fasted over night before sacrificing, blood was collected, centrifuged; serum was stored at-20°C until analysis. Total protein, alanine aminotransferase [ALT], aspartate aminotransferase [AST], Creatinine, urea and uric acid were estimated in serum. The results revealed that induction of cirrhosis results in significant decrease in serum level of total protein and a significant increase in AST. ALT, urea, creatinine and uric acid. The inclusion of leaves, heads and extracts of artichoke in the diet of cirrhotic rats lead to significant decrease of the significant increased level of AST, ALT, urea. creatinine, sometimes it might reached the normal level but for uric acid it has no decreasing effect on it, it continue to rise [>3 times]. For protein it increased the already decreased level. Carbon tetrachloride has direct toxic effect, which is clear by the presence of severe biochemical abnormalities in liver and kidney function. The natural antioxidant from artichoke improves these abnormalities