Antioxidant and hepatoprotective activity of an ethanol extract of piper cubeba fruits.

ABSTRACT

The fruits of the Piper cubeba plant were chosen and studied for antioxidant and hepatoprotective activity. The antioxidant potential of the ethanol extract was examined using a 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging activity, reducing power, hydroxyl radical scavenging activity, nitric oxide radical scavenging activity and hydrogen peroxide radical scavenging activity. The extract had significant dose-dependent antioxidant activity in all in vitro experiments. Hepatoprotective activity of the extract was evaluated in rat model of carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) induced liver damage. CCl4 significantly altered serum marker enzymes and total protein. The ethanol extract of Piper cubeba attenuated CCl4 induced serum marker enzymes and total protein. Histology of liver sections of the animals treated with the extracts showed the presence of normal hepatic cords, absence of necrosis and fatty infiltration which further evidence the hepatoprotective activity.