The effects of herbal cream and silymarin on liver in carbon tetrachloride-treated animals

Abstract

Many medical or pharmaceutical plants have been widely used for the treatment of the liver injury. Silymarin is now used as a food-supporting material for the liver as a patented product. Herbal cream has antiinflammatory and antioxidant effects on wound healing in a hemorrhoid model. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of herbal cream and silymarin on the liver in carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-treated animals. Male Wistar rats were divided into seven groups as Intact control, Control, Herbal cream (0.5 ml, intrarectal), Silymarin (70 mg/kg, intrarectal), CCl4 (2 ml/kg, intraperitoneal), CCl4+Herbal cream (0.5 ml herbal cream for 21 days, 3 weeks after administration of CCl4) and CCl4+Silymarin (70 mg/kg silymarin for 21 days, 3 weeks after administration of CCl4). Herbal cream reduced damage and leukocyte distribution induced by CCl4 and increased catalase. There was no significant change in superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx). The levels of SOD, catalase, and GPx in the liver increased significantly in the group treated only with herbal cream. These results point out that herbal cream may have antioxidant properties in the liver and a role in preventing liver damage. As a result, it has been detected that herbal cream is not a toxic agent and recovers liver damage with antioxidant properties.