Saussurea costus (Falc.) Lipsch root extract supplementation improves diethylnitrosamine-induced hepatic damage in Albino Wistar rats

Abstract

The present study was carried out to evaluate the hepatoprotective potential of 70% aqua-ethanolic root extract of Saussurea costus in a rat model. In this work, the hepatoprotective activity of Saussurea costus aqua-ethanolic root extract (SLE) against N-Diethylnitrosamine (DEN)-induced liver damage in rats was examined at 3 different doses (100, 250, and 500 mg/kg bwt) for 10 weeks. Ultrasonography, hemato-biochemical parameters, gross and histological examination, and immunohistochemistry expression were used to assess the hepatoprotective effects of Saussurea costus root extract. UPLC Chromatogram revealed costunolide and dehydrocostus lactone as major constituents. An acute toxicity study of Saussurea costus aqua-ethanolic root extract was also carried out at a dose rate of 2g/kg bwt revealed no toxic effects. In comparison to the group that received just DEN treatment, the 70% ethanolic extract of Saussurea costus at a dose rate of 500 mg/kg bwt considerably reduced the morphological, histological, hemato-biochemical (TLC, TEC, ALT, ALP, TP, creatinine), and immunohistochemical alterations (caspase-3 and NF-κB) in the liver. The results of the current study concluded that 70% ethanolic root extract of Saussurea costus at the dose rate of 500 mg/kg bwt is proposed to produce better hepatoprotective action than silymarin treatment against DEN-induced liver damage in the rat model.