Antioxidative efficacy of Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) fruit extract against Carbon tetrachloride induced acute liver injury in rats

The liver is a vital metabolic gland responsible for endogenous secretions and detoxification of exogenous compounds The liver disorder is a significant cause of illness with more than one million deaths reported every year around the globe. Oxidative stress is a key player for liver dysfunctions, triggers inflammation and degenerative processes during several diseases including cancer. The current study (4 weeks) was designed to analyze the antioxidative efficacy of Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) fruit extract (600 mg kg(-1)) in high fat diet (HFD; 35%) associated carbon tetrachloride (CCl4; 1 mL kg(-1)) induced liver injury in rat model. The experimental rats were divided into four groups as negative control, positive control (HFD + CCl4), treatment I (HFD + CCl4 + Silymarin (20 mg kg(-1))) and treatment II (HFD + CCl4 + extract (600 mg kg(-1)). Phytochemical analysis revealed that ethanolic extract of O. ficus-indica fruit extract possessed highest concentration of total phenolic contents (TPC; 23.69 +/- 2.86 mg GAE g(-1)) and total flavonoid contents (TFC; 542.76 +/- 0.05 mg CE g(-1)). Efficacy study revealed that the O. ficus-indica fruit extract significantly (P<0.05) decreased the elevated levels of liver enzymes i.e., aspartate transaminase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and alanine transaminase (ALT), total oxidative stress (TOS) and increased the levels of total anti-oxidative capacity (TAC). Gene expression analysis results revealed higher expression level of dual oxidases (Duox, Duox-1 and Duox-2) and Nrf-2 signaling cascade genes (Nfe-212, Nrf-1 and Keap-1) in positive control group while as significant (P<0.05) down expression was shown in the treatment I group and treatment II group. Overall results concluded that O. ficus-indica fruit extract significantly reduced the CCl4 induced elevated levels of liver enzymes, oxidative stress, and improved the level total antioxidant capacity.