Background: Liver cirrhosis is the final common pathway of many pathological conditions that affect hepatic tissue. Its prevalence is increasing globally with the highest age-standardized cirrhosis mortality rates in Egypt. Many drugs that were used in the management of hepatic diseases can induce further liver cirrhosis.
Objective: To assess the possible hepatoprotective activity of olive leaves extract, and silymarin on experimentally induced liver damage caused by Carbon Tetra Chloride (CCL₄)-induced liver damage.
Materials and methods: Fifty male adult albino groups were randomly assigned into five equal groups: Group (I): control saline (CS) rats were given normal saline orally by gavage as 1 ml/kg/day for 5 weeks, Group (II): control corn oil(CCO) were given corn oil orally by gavage as 1 ml/kg/day twice a week for four weeks Group (III): CCL₄ - treated group (CCL₄) were given CCL₄ at a dose of 1ml/kg body weight 4 weeks, twice weekly orally by gavage, diluted with corn oil (1:1) to induce liver fibrosis, Group (IV): Olive leaf extract and the CCL₄ - treated group (OLE+ CCL₄) were given olive leaf extract only by oral gavage as100 mg/kg per day for one weak then, olive leaf extract by oral gavage as100 mg/kg per day simultaneously with CCl₄ for 4 weeks, and Group (V): Silymarin & CCL₄ - treated group (S+ CCL₄) were given Silymarin only by oral gavage as100 mg/kg per day for one weak, then sylimarin by oral gavage as100 mg/kg per day simultaneously with CCl₄ for 4 weeks. Results: CCl₄ produced marked hepatic injury through inducing oxidative stress in hepatic tissues. This was evidenced by a significant increase in serum AST, serum ALT, and hepatic MDA as well as a significant decrease in serum albumin, hepatic GSD, SOD, and CAT with CCl₄ treatment compared to the control. Both Olive leaves extract and Silymarinprotected hepatic tissue against the hazardous effects of CCl₄ by restoring a balanced redox state of hepatic tissue. This was evidenced by a significant decrease in serum AST, serum ALT, and hepatic MDA as well as a significant increase in serum albumin, hepatic GSD, SOD, and CAT with OLE+ CCL₄ and S+ CCL₄ treatment compared to CCl₄. No significant changes were noted between OLE+ CCL₄ and S+ CCL₄. Conclusion: Both Silymarin and olive leaves extract have prophylactic protection and ameliorate the hepatotoxic effects of CCl₄ as both have antioxidant properties. No significant difference was noted between OLE+ CCL₄ and S+ CCL₄.