Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the sixth most common cancer, making it a major health concern worldwide. Juniper plant has been reported as hepatic protective and anti-hyperlipidemic activity. Therefore, the aim of this study is evaluate of Juniper dried leaves and fruits (berries) as a natural hepatoprotective and hepatocarcinogenic source.
Juniper leaves and berries were obtained from Horticultural Institute, Agricultural Research Center Giza, Egypt. sixty male albino rats (Sprague Dawley strain) weighed an average between (180±10g). It's obtained from Animal house unit, Food Technology Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center Giza, Egypt. Volatile oils and its fraction, total polyphenols, total flavonoids, carotenoids, vitamin C, saponins, tannins and antioxidants activity were determined in dried juniper leaves and berries.
Fifty-four rats were fed on basal diet and injected with CCl4, in paraffin oil (50%v/v 2 ml/kg) twice weeks subcutaneous to induce chronic damage in the liver after the confirmation of the damage through liver enzymes test the 9 groups numbered from 2 to group 10 were classified as follows: Group 2 positive control group was fed on basal diet till enf of experiment (4 weeks). Experiment Group 3 and 4 fed on dried Juniper leaves (0.5 and 1%, respectively) while group 5 and 6 were fed on dried Juniper berries (0.5 and 1%, respectively). Also, group 7 and 8 treated with 50 and 100 ppm ethanolic extract orally every day from juniper leaves. In addition, groups 9 and 10 treated with 50, and 100 ppm ethanolic extract orally from juniper berries. Serum aspartate amino transaminase (AST), alanine amino transaminase (ALT), alkaline phosphatad(ALP) total cholesterol, triglycerides, total lipids, high density lipoprotein (HDL-C), Superoxide dismutase (SOD), Glutathione reeductase(GSH) and malonaldehyde (MDA) were determined during experiment.
The effect of different concentrates of Juniper leaves or berries extract (25, 50 100 and 200 µg/ml, respectively) on hepatic cytotoxicity cells (HPG-2) cell lines was evaluated from National cancer institute, Cairo, Egypt. IC50 was 29 and 170 µg/ml in Juniper leaves and berries extracts, respectively