ABSTRACT
The objective of the present study was to evaluate the in vitro antioxidant and hepatoprotective potential of Syzygium aromaticum [clove] against CCl[4]-induced hepatotoxicity using rat liver slice culture [LSC] model. Antioxidant activity in terms of DPPH radical scavenging activity and ferric reducing antioxidant power [FRAP] of different concentrations of S. aromaticum was in the range of 41.01-90.33% and 138.15-595.63 Fe [II] mg/mL, respectively. Plasmid pBR322 DNA protection activity was observed with all three concentrations of S. aromaticum against H2O2 induced oxidative damage, as no strand breaks were observed. Chemical profiling through HPLC confirmed the presence of six major phenolic acids and 13 volatile bioactive compounds were identified though GC-MS. Significant hepatoprotection [p<0.05] was observed in liver slice culture [LSC] as liver slices treated with various concentrations of S. aromaticum extract presented very low percentage cytotoxicity [7.35-16.16%] as compared to the CCl4 treated liver slices [75.58 %]. The hepatoprotective potential of S. aromaticum may be due to the presence of bioactive components as confirmed by HPLC and GC-MS. The results of present study support the use of S. aromaticum in the formation of potential hepatoprotective drugs against various liver diseases