Pistacia chinensis: A Potent Ameliorator of CCl(4) Induced Lung and Thyroid Toxicity in Rat Model

In the current study protective effect of ethanol extract of Pistacia chinensis bark (PCEB) was investigated in rats against CCl(4) induced lung and thyroid injuries. PCEB dose dependently inhibited the rise of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances, hydrogen peroxide, nitrite, and protein content and restored the levels of antioxidant enzymes, that is, catalase, peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione-S-transferase, glutathione reductase, glutathione peroxidase, γ-glutamyl transpeptidase, and quinone reductase in both lung and thyroid tissues of CCl(4) treated rats. Decrease in number of leukocytes, neutrophils, and hemoglobin and T(3) and T(4) content as well as increase in monocytes, eosinophils, and lymphocytes count with CCl(4) were restored to normal level with PCEB treatment. Histological study of CCl(4) treated rats showed various lung injuries like rupture of alveolar walls and bronchioles, aggregation of fibroblasts, and disorganized Clara cells. Similarly, histology of CCl(4) treated thyroid tissues displayed damaged thyroid follicles, hypertrophy, and colloidal depletion. However, PCEB exhibited protective behaviour for lungs and thyroid, with improved histological structure in a dose dependant manner. Presence of three known phenolic compounds, that is, rutin, tannin, and gallic acid, and three unknown compounds was verified in thin layer chromatographic assessment of PCEB. In conclusion, P. chinensis exhibited antioxidant activity by the presence of free radical quenching constituents.