Romanian Society of Pharmaceutical Sciences

« Back to Farmacia Journal 2/2023

ROLE OF NITRIC OXIDE, IL-6, TNF-α AND PROSTAGLANDINS IN HEPATOPROTECTIVE EFFECT OF ILLICIUM VERUM ESSENTIAL OIL

MEHREEN NASIR 1, ALI SHARIF 1,2, IRFAN ANJUM 1*, ZAKA UR REHMAN 1

1Faculty of Pharmacy, The University of Lahore, Lahore, Pakistan
2Institute of Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical and Allied Health Sciences, Lahore College for Women University, Lahore, Pakistan

Download Full Article PDF

The present study investigated the role of inflammatory cytokines, prostaglandins and nitric oxide in hepatoprotective effect of Illicium verum (I. verum) essential oil in CCl4 induced hepatotoxicity. The levels of LFTs, SOD, CAT, nitric oxide, total protein contents, and inflammatory markers such as TNF-α, IL-6, lipid peroxidation and COX-2 were determined. Plasma proteins, blood lipid profile and liver biomarkers were estimated. GC/MS analysis of essential oil was carried out. Pretreatment with I. verum enhanced SOD, CAT and plasma proteins levels while a reduction in LFTs, NO, TNF-α, IL-6, lipid peroxidation, COX-2 and blood lipid profile was observed in CCl4 induced hepatotoxicity. Histopathological studies supported the biochemical findings. GC/MS showed the presence of trans-anethole (97.485%) along with other anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory constituents. Thus, I. verum presented hepatoprotective potential via down-regulation of inflammatory mediators and up-regulation of anti-oxidant enzymes.