Anti-Inflammatory and Hepatoprotective Activities of Trigonella Foenum-Graecum L

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate anti-inflammatory and hepatoprotective activities of Trigonella foenum graecum L. (TFG). Anti-inflammatory activity: Control group was administered saline solution and reference group was administered indomethacin. TFG groups were injected TFG:olive oil (1:4) in doses of 0.1 mL/kg (TFG-I), 0.5 mL/ kg (TFG-II) and 1.0 mL/kg (TFG-III). Before the injections and three hours after the injections the volume of right hind-paw of rats was measured using a plethysmometer. Hepatoprotective activity: The hepatotoxicity was induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) administration. Control group and CCl4 group received saline solution and 0.8 mL/kg CCl4:olive oil (1:1) respectively for seven days. TFG group and silibinin group (reference group) received TFG:olive oil (1:4) in doses of 0.1 mL/kg and 50 mg/kg, respectively for seven days. Blood samples were collected on the 8th day and the liver was extracted after the animals were killed. TFG had an anti-inflammatory effect matching to that of control group at all doses. It was found that reduction in the inflammation was 93.20% with indomethacin, 31.70% with TFG-I, 43.47% with TFG-II and 44.95% with TFG-III. Median effective dose (ED50) value of TFG was found to be 0.0645 mL/kg. TFG significantly reduced the serum alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase levels when compared to CCl4 group. The histopathological findings showed a significant difference between the TFG and CCl4 groups. The results showed that TFG had considerable anti-inflammatory and hepatoprotective activities.