Antioxidant and hepatoprotective potentials of ethanol stem bark extract of Daniela oliveri (Rolfe) Hutch and Dalz (Caesalpinaceae)

[Display omitted] •D. oliveri stem bark (EEDO) suppresses hepatic pathological changes induced by CCl4.•EEDO at 200 mg/kg improves liver and kidney functions of hepatotoxic rats.•Pre-treatment with EEDO ameliorates the perturbations in lipid profile induced by CCl4.•EEDO at 200 mg/kg enhances antioxidant defense status and reduces oxidative stress in hepatotoxic rats. The medicinal properties of Daniella oliveri are attributed to its different parts. Several parts of the plants are used in forklore medicine to treat various diseases such as liver diseases, inflammation, fever and pain. The present study evaluated the antioxidant and hepatoprotective activities of ethanol extract of Daniella oliveri (EEDO) stem bark. The hepatoprotective activity was investigated using carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced hepatotoxicity in Wistar rats. The antioxidant activity was determined using both in vitro and in vivo models. The pre-treatment with extract (100, 200, and 300 mg/kg) and silymarin (100 mg/kg) produced a significant (p < 0.05) increase in hepatoprotective activity when compared with the negative control (CCl4) group. The 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazine (DPPH) radical scavenging activity of the plant extract increased with increasing concentration of the extract with IC50 value of 0.05 mg/mL. The extract at 200 mg/kg showed a significant (p < 0.05) increase in level of GSH and activities of SOD, CAT, and GPx when compared with CCl4 group. The histopathological observations supported the biochemical evidences of hepatoprotection of EEDO. The present study suggests that EEDO stem bark has a potent hepatoprotective effect that may be linked to its antioxidant potential and validates its use in the traditional management of liver diseases.