Protective Mechanism of Urtica Dioica on Carbon Tetrachloride-Induced Hepatic Encephalopathy in Rats

Around the world, species from the genus Urtica are commonly used because of their peripheral and central medicinal effects; this is prepared as teas. In recent years, it has become increasingly important to study the beneficial properties of derivatives of Urtica dioica (UD). The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of UD against carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) induced hepatic encephalopathy (HE). Forty-nine adult (2-months-old) male Sprague dawley rats were used in this study. The models were established by CCl4 (1 mL/kg body weight; twice a week) given intraperitoneally for 8 weeks. The animals were euthanized by decapitation and rat brains were removed to assess histopathologic changes. Biochemical parameters were assessed in serum samples from the CCl4-treated rats. UD extracts provided significant protection against CCl4-induced brain damage by increasing the preventing alterations in biochemical serum parameters, such as the levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), glutamyl transferase (GGT) and ammonia relative to the control group. Histopathological and immunohistopathological changes of the brain tissue was observed using Hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) staining and c-Fos expression method. In the present study, the protective effect of UD on CCl4 toxicity was demonstrated through studies of biochemistry and immunohistopathology. Administration of UD may have potential protective effects against CCl4-induced brain toxicity