Hepatoprotective Effect of Pomegranate (Punica Granatum) Fruit Juice and Seed Extracts against CCL4-Induced Toxicity

Abstract

<em> Punica granatum </em>is used as a medicinal plant, and its fruit concentrate has been<em> </em>used for the prevention and treatment of liver diseases in Iran. The effects of different concentrations of the hydroalcoholic, ethyl acetate and n-hexane extracts of the <em>Punica granatum</em> (fruit juice and seed) were investigated against CCl₄- induced cytotoxicity in HepG2 cells. Concentrations (1-10000 µg/ml) of the extracts were added to the cells, 1 h before the addition of 100 mM of CCl₄. After 24 h, the cells were evaluated for toxicity, TBARs level and GSH content. The hydroalcoholic extracts of fruit juice and seeds with concentrations of 100 to 1000 µg/ml protected the cells against CCl₄ induced cytotoxicity, but the ethyl acetate extract of fruit juice with higher concentration (1000 µg/ml) protected the cells against CCl₄ cytotoxicity and the n-hexane extracts were less effective. The ethyl acetate and n-hexane extracts of seeds with different concentrations did not have any significant protective effect. The <em>Punica granatum</em> extracts themselves were not toxic towards cells with concentrations up to 1 mg/ml. Therefore, the results of the present study are somehow consistent with traditional beliefs about hepatoprotective effects of <em>Punica</em> <em>granatum</em>.