Effect of Viscum album on acute hepatic damage caused by carbon tetrachloride in rats

Aim: To investigate the effect of Viscum album, a plant used for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma that hasimmune-modulating properties, on acute hepatic injury in rats.Materials and methods: Hepatotoxicity was induced by CCl4 orally (0.28 mL/kg). Rats received either Viscum album at 1 of 2 dose levels (0.1 or 0.2 mL/kg) once weekly subcutaneously alone or with silymarin (25 mg/kg, orally), or silymarin(25 mg/kg) once daily orally for 1 month, starting at the time of administration of CCl4. Liver damage was assessed by determining liver serum enzyme activities and by hepatic histopathology. Results: Viscum album administration decreased the increases in serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and also prevented the development of hepatic necrosis caused by CCl4. The effect of Viscum album was dose-dependent. Viscum album administered at 0.1 or 0.2 mL/kg caused significant reduction in the elevated plasma ALT by 51.2% and 65.6%, AST by 52.6% and 61.1%, and ALP by 27.7% and57.6%, respectively. In comparison, the elevated serum ALT, AST, and ALP levels decreased to 48.9%, 51.8%, and 30.8% of the controls, respectively, with 25 mg/kg of silymarin. Viscum album(0.2 mL/kg) administered together with silymarin resulted in 73.1%, 67.6%, and 65.8% decreases in serum ALT, AST, and ALP levels, respectively. Histopathologic examination of the livers of rats treated with CCl4 and administered Viscum album at 0.2 mL/kg showed markedrestoration of the normal architecture of the liver tissue with minimal fibrosis. Conclusion: Results of the present study indicate that the administration of Viscum album in a model of liver injury induced by CCl4 in rats results in less liver damage.