Does Commiphora extract have an effect on carbon tetrachloride-induced liver injury in adult albino rats? Histological and biochemical study

Introduction: Carbon tetrachloride [CCl[4]] is a well-known hepatocyte-destructive agent. Commiphora mukul is a medicinal plant found to be effective in the treatment of a variety of disorders

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Aim of the work: To study the effect of Commiphora extract on liver injury induced by the administration of CCl[4] in rats

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Materials and methods: Forty adult male albino rats were divided randomly into three groups. Group I [control group], group II [positive controls, which received CCl[4] for 2 weeks], and group IIIa and group IIIb, which received 250 and 500 mg/kg, respectively, of Commiphora extract orally before the administration of CCl[4]. Two weeks after the administration of CCl[4], animals were killed, and the livers were removed and processed for histological and electron microscopic examination. Liver functions were measured

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Results: A low dose of Commiphora extract did not lead to any improvement; loss of hepatic architecture occurred. An apparent decrease in fibrous tissue and cellular infiltration was observed around the preexisting portal tract. Some hepatocytes showed fatty changes. At a high dose of Commiphora, hepatic lobules regained their normal architecture with proliferating bile ductules in the portal tract. Some hepatic lobules still showed vacuolation and necrosis of their hepatocytes

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Conclusion: Higher doses of Commiphora extract before CCl[4] might be more effective in the amelioration of CCl[4]-induced liver injury and fibrosis