Protective effect and antioxidant role of sweetgum (Liquidambar orientalis) oil against carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatotoxicity and oxidative stress in rats

Context: Sweetgum oil (SO) obtained from the Liquidambar orientalis Mill (Hamamelidaceae) tree has been used in Turkish folk medicine for centuries as an antiulcerigenic. Some studies have reported the antibacterial and antioxidant activities of SO; however, its effect on hepatic and oxidative stress complications is still unexplored.

Objective: This study investigates the hepatoprotective effect and the antioxidant role of SO against carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄) toxicity.

Materials and methods: The experiment included control, CCl₄, SO, and CCl₄?+?SO treatment groups. Control and SO group rats were fed a diet without CCl₄. CCl₄ and CCl₄?+?SO treatment groups received 0.5?mL/kg CCl₄ diluted in olive oil (1:1 dilution) intraperitonally injection twice per week. The CCl₄?+?SO group also received 1000?mg/kg SO-supplemented feed for 50?d. Blood and tissue samples were used for the determination of hepatic damage serum biomarkers (HDSBs) levels, antioxidant defense system constituents (ADSCs), and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents. In addition, the liver was evaluated for histopathological changes.

Results: According to the results, the HDSBs levels of the CCl₄ group were significantly (p?<?0.05) increased compared with the control, whereas the HDSB levels of the CCl₄?+?SO group resulted in marked decreases (p?<?0.05) compared with the CCl₄ group. In addition, the results showed that SO-supplemented diet restored the CCl₄-induced MDA and ADS towards to control. Hepatoprotection of SO is further substantiated by the almost normal histologic findings in the CCl₄?+?SO group against degenerative changes in the CCl₄ group.

Discussion and conclusion: It was concluded that SO has a hepatoprotective effect and antioxidant capacity against CCl₄ toxicity.