Hepatoprotective effects of Tagetes lucida root extract in carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatotoxicity in Wistar albino rats through amelioration of oxidative stress

Context The roots of Tagetes lucida Cav. (Asteraceae) have antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. Objective This study aimed to examine the hepatoprotective effects of T. lucida roots ethanol extract (TLRE) using carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced hepatotoxicity in rats. Materials and methods The active ingredients of TLRE were identified by high-performance liquid chromatography, infra-red spectrum, and mass spectrometric procedures. Ninety rats were distributed into four main groups: positive, therapeutic, protective, and negative group. The therapeutic group was implemented using CCl4 (a single dose of 2 mL/kg) before TLRE or silymarin administration. Meanwhile, the protective group was implemented by administering CCl4 (a single dose of 2 mL/kg) after force-feeding TLRE or silymarin. Each therapeutic and protective group was divided into three subgroups: force-fed with saline, TLRE (500 mg/kg), and silymarin (25 mg/kg). The positive group was split into two subgroups that were force-fed TLRE and silymarin. Positive, therapeutic, and protective groups were compared to the negative group (untreated rats). CCl4, TLRE, and silymarin were orally administrated using a gastric tube. Results In the therapeutic and protective groups, TLRE significantly reduced liver enzymes, i.e., aspartate aminotransferase (12.47 and 6.29%), alanine aminotransferase (30.48 and 11.39%), alkaline phosphatase (17.28 and 15.90%), and cytochrome P450-2E1 (39.04 and 48.24%), and tumour necrosis factor-alpha (53.72 and 53.72%) in comparison with CCl4-induced hepatotoxicity controls. Conclusions TLRE has a potent hepatoprotective effect with a good safety margin. After a repeated study on another type of small experimental animal, their offspring, and an experiment with a large animal, this study may lead to clinical trials.