Characterization and ameliorative effects of Chenopodium murale hydroethanolic extract against diethylnitrosamine-induced hepato-renal damage and malfunction

Background/aim
Chenopodium genus has broad applications in folk medicine. Chenopodium murale (C. murale) exhibited several pharmacological benefits, including hypotensive, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antifungal, antibacterial, phytotoxic, hepatoprotective and renoprotective effects. The principal objective unveils the preventive effects of C. murale against hepato-renal damage and malfunction induced by diethylnitrosamine (DEN).
Materials and methods
Forty rats were included in the present study divided into 4 groups, group 1, animals were given saline solution every day for 14 weeks. Group 2, animals were injected double times per week by intraperitoneal route with DEN at 150 mg/kg body weight for 2 weeks. Animals in group 3 were injected with DEN like in group 2 and subjected orally to C. murale hydroethanolic extract (500 mg/kg body weight) daily for 14 weeks. Animals in group 4 received the same dose of the hydroethanolic extract of C. murale for a similar period.
Results
DEN has injurious effects, associated with elevated liver enzyme activities (AST, ALT and ALP), urea and creatinine in serum. Also, lipid peroxidation and nitric oxide were elevated markedly. DEN lowered the hepatic and renal activities of endogenous antioxidants (CAT and SOD), reduced glutathione (GSH) level. Conversely, treatment with C. murale restored liver function biomarker activities, urea and creatinine levels as well as mitigated the oxidative damage induced by DEN. C. murale reflecting its ameliorative potential which diminished obviously the DEN-induced elevated hepato-renal levels of IL-1β and TNF-α (immuno- inflammatory indicators), also down regulated Bcl-2, NF-κB, and Nrf-2 (inflammatory mediators).
Conclusion
These findings proved that C. murale might protect and ameliorate DEN-induced hepato-renal damage through activation of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory systems.