The Ameliorative Effect of Phoenix Dactylifera Extract on CCl4 Hepatotoxicity in New Zealand Rabbits

Abstract

The present st udy was conducted to evaluate the hepatoprotective effect of The date flesh 4 (Phoenix da ctylifera L. ) agai nst carbon t etrachloride (C Cl ) hepatot oxicity and improvement of Immune 4 functions w hich affected by fre e radicals li berating CCL in New Zealand rabbits. Fruits of t he date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) are very commonly consumed in many parts of the world, and are a vital component of t he diet i n most o f t he Arabian countries. A ccording to Prophet M ohammad (peace be upon him) sa ys many Muslims bel ieve that consumption of dates, particularly in t he morning on an empty stomach, can reverse the actions of any toxic material that the subject may have been exposed to. Accordingly, carbon 4 tetrachloride (CCL ) hepatotoxicity was ind uced in rabbits in order to study the hepatoprotective activity of d ates flesh (Phoenix d actylifera). S ixty New Zealand rabbits weighing about 1 Kg were assigned to six groups, (ten/group). G1 was control, G2 r eceived a single dose of Siwa date palm extract orally, G3 44 injected S/C with 1.0 ml CCL solution /Kg, G4 injected S/C with 2.0 ml CCL solution /Kg, G5 and G6 pretreated with a single d ose a single d ose of 15 ml of Siwa date p alm extract o rally. After 6, 12, 24 and 48 hours post-treatment blood samples were collected from the ear vein. The sera were separated and used for determining of ALT, AST a nd IgG, IgM and I gA and the liver homogenates for estimation of MDA and GSH as a biomarker o f l ipid peroxidation and antioxidative stress. The obtained results revealed that, 4 CCL caused significant i ncreases in the levels o f A LT and AST in (G3,G4) b ut t reatment with Siwa date palm extract caused marked ameliorations of transaminase enzymes act ivity ALT and AST in (G 5,G6). Moreover, there w as a significant i ncrease in MDA and decrease o f GSH due to the oxidative stress 4 induced by CCL on membrane polyunsaturated f atty a cids in rabbit's liver while Pret reatment with Si wa date p alm extract, was significantly ameliorated the increased levels of MDA and decline o f GSH in t he 4 liver tissu e caused by C CL hepatotoxicity. Meanwhile, Siwa date palm extract sign ificantly increase in