Hepatoprotective Effect of Ethanolic Extract of Lavandula officinalis L. in Alloxan-Induced Diabetic Rats

Plants have been the basis for medical treatments throughout much of human history. Although the active compounds of many herbal drugs are unknown, they have been widely prescribed by traditional medicine practitioners due to their beneficial effects and low cost. Although the primary feature of diabetes is hyperglycemia, diabetic disease can cause damage in several organs, such as the liver, over the long term. The present study was conducted to determine the hepatoprotective activity of Lavandula officinalis L. ethanolic extract (LOE) in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. Twenty-eight male Wistar rats (weight 200 - 250 g) were randomly divided into four groups as follows: the healthy control group (HC) received saline (0.9% intraperitoneally [i.p.]) on all experimental days, the diabetic control group (DC) received a single dose of alloxan (120 mg/kg i.p.), the first treatment group (FT) received a single dose of alloxan and then 100 mg/kg of LOE i.p. for 21 days, and the second treatment group (ST) received a single dose of alloxan and then 200 mg/kg LOE i.p. for 21 days. After completion of the experimental period, liver tissue was dissected to measure the activity of certain antioxidant enzymes, including superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and lipid peroxidation (MDA) by spectrophotometry. Blood samples were collected to measure aspartate transaminase (AST) and alanine transaminase (ALT) in the serum, using commercially available diagnostic kits. This study revealed that intraperitoneal administration of LOE for 21 days provided significant hepatoprotection against alloxan-induced elevation in the serum marker enzymes AST (38%) and ALT (38.65%, P < 0.05), the liver antioxidant enzyme SOD (68.61%, P < 0.01), CAT (41.53%), and liver lipid peroxidation (44.74%, P < 0.05) compared to the DC group. The present study indicated a hepatoprotective effect of LOE in diabetic rats.