Chicory (Cichorium intybus L.) Root Extract Regulates the Oxidative Status and Antioxidant Gene Transcripts in CCl(4)-Induced Hepatotoxicity

The ability of Cichorium intybus root extract (chicory extract) to protect against carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4))-induced oxidative stress and hepatotoxicity was evaluated in male rats. The rats were divided into four groups according to treatment: saline (control); chicory extract (100 mg/kg body weight daily, given orally for 2 weeks); CCl(4) (1 ml/kg body weight by intraperitoneal injection for 2 consecutive days only); or chicory extract (100 mg/kg body weight daily for 2 weeks) + CCl(4) injection on days 16 and 17. The levels of hepatic lipid peroxidation, antioxidants, and molecular biomarkers were estimated twenty-four hours after the last CCl(4) injection. Pretreatment with chicory extract significantly reduced CCl(4)-induced elevation of malondialdehyde levels and nearly normalized levels of glutathione and activity of glutathione S-transferase, glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione reductase, catalase (CAT), paraoxonase-1 (PON1), and arylesterase in the liver. Chicory extract also attenuated CCl(4)-induced downregulation of hepatic mRNA expression levels of GPx1, CAT and PON1 genes. Results of DNA fragmentation support the ability of chicory extract to ameliorate CCl(4)-induced liver toxicity. Taken together, our results demonstrate that chicory extract is rich in natural antioxidants and able to attenuate CCl(4)-induced hepatocellular injury, likely by scavenging reactive free radicals, boosting the endogenous antioxidant defense system, and overexpressing genes encoding antioxidant enzymes.