Chemical composition and hepatoprotective effect of essential oil from Myrtus communis L. flowers against CCL(4)-induced acute hepatotoxicity in rats

Myrtus communis L. (Myrtle) is one of the most important aromatic and medicinal species from the Myrtaceae family. It is traditionally used as antiseptic, disinfectant drug and hypoglycemic agent. The aim of our study was to evaluate the protective effect of Myrtus communis essential oil (McEO) on CCl(4)-induced hepatotoxicity in rat. Thirty two adult Wistar rats were divided into 4 groups of 8 each: (1) a control group; (2) was given a single dose of CCl(4) (1 mL kg(−1) in 1% olive oil. ip) on the 14(th) day (3) were given during 15 days a daily i.p. injection of McEO at 250 mL kg(−1) b.w (4) a group was pretreated with McEO and intoxicated with CCl(4) on the 14(th) day. The major components of McEO are α-pinene (35.20%), 1,8-cineole (17%), linalool (6.17%) and limonene (8.94%) which accounted for 67.31% of the whole oil. The antioxidant activity of McEO was evaluated using DPPH scavenging ability, β-carotene bleaching inhibition and hydroxyl radical-scavenging activity. Moreover, the effect of McEO (250 mg kg(−1) body weight BW) administrated for 14 consecutive days was evaluated in wistar rat. Administration of a single dose of CCl(4) caused hepatotoxicity as monitored by an increase in lipid peroxidation (thiobarbituric acid reactive substances) as well in protein carbonyl level but decreased in antioxidant markers in the liver tissue. The McEO pre-treatment significantly prevented the increased plasma levels of hepatic markers and lipid levels induced by CCl(4) in rats. Furthermore, this fraction improved biochemical and histological parameters as compared to CCl(4)-treated group. Our results suggest that M. communis contains promising substances to counteract the CCl(4) intoxication and which may be efficient in the prevention of hepatotoxicity complications.