Hepato-Rehabilitative Capabilities of Basella alba, Grewia asiatica, Solanum nigrum, and Ficus carica Fruit Extracts in Male Mice (Mus musculus) against CCl4 Exposure

Carbon tetrachloride (CCl 4 ) is used extensively for the production of chlorofluorocarbon refrigerants, foam-blowing agents, paints, plastics and as a solvent in metal cleaning and in fumigants. The present research reports the hepato-regenerative potentials of Basella alba , Grewia asiatica , Solanum nigrum , and Ficus carica fruit pulp extracts (FPEs) against CCl 4 induced hepatic anomalies in mice. Sixty male albino mice were divided into six groups as: (1) Control (Ct), (2) CCl 4 (C), (3) CCl 4 + Basella alba (CB), (4) CCl 4 + Grewia asiatica (CG), (5) CCl 4 + Solanum nigrum (CS), and (6) CCl 4 + Ficus carica (CF). Except for the Ct group, CCl 4 (0.1 mL of 0.2 mL kg –1 ) was given to the relevant FPE group of animals for the next 5 consecutive days, while the animals in the Ct and CCl 4 groups received water instead of FPE. Liver and blood samples were obtained from each animal on day 7 for biochemical and histological investigations. The CCl 4 exposure led to various histometric and histological alterations (peri-central debris and hepatic cords distortions) that were recovered in CB and CG groups. Large number of regenerative cells (progenitor oval stem cells (POSC) and cholangiocytes/bilary epithelial cells (BEC) that move towards damage area and establish the aggregations as well as leads to hepatic regeneration) were evident in histological sections of CB and CG groups. The micrometric data indicates abundance of oval stem cells; nascent hepatocytes and number of mononucleated hepatocytes also substantially support the histological findings. The serum biochemical markers (bilirubin, serum glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (SGPT), serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT), alkaline phosphatase, total proteins, albumins, globulins and albumin/globulins (A/G) ratios) remained in line with the histological and micrometric findings. The wholesome picture of the differential ability of the rescuing and regenerative potentials of these medicinal fruits indicates best capabilities to be residing in CB and CG that must in turn be attributable to the precious blend of phyto-medicinal components of their fruits.