Saussurea costus (Falc.) Lipsch root extract supplementation improves diethylnitrosamine-induced hepatic damage in Albino Wistar rats

The present study was carried out to evaluate the hepatoprotective potential of 70% aqua-ethanolic root extract of Saussurea costus in a rat model. In this work, the hepatoprotective activity of Saussurea costus aqua-ethanolic root extract (SLE) against N-Diethylnitrosamine (DEN)-induced liver damage in rats was examined at 3 different doses (100,250, and 500 mg/kg bwt) for 10 weeks. Ultrasonography, hemato-biochemical parameters, gross and histological examination, and immunohistochemistry expression were used to assess the hepatoprotective effects of Saussurea costus root extract. UPLC Chromatogram revealed cos-tunolide and dehydrocostus lactone as major constituents. An acute toxicity study of Saussurea costus aqua-ethanolic root extract was also carried out at a dose rate of 2g/kg bwt revealed no toxic effects. In comparison to the group that received just DEN treatment, the 70% ethanolic extract of Saussurea costus at a dose rate of 500 mg/kg bwt considerably reduced the morphological, histological, hemato-biochemical (TLC, TEC, ALT, ALP, TP, creatinine), and immunohistochemical alterations (caspase-3 and NF-κΒ) in the liver. The results of the current study concluded that 70% ethanolic root extract of Saussurea costus at the dose rate of 500 mg/kg bwt is proposed to produce better hepatoprotective action than silymarin treatment against DEN-induced liver damage in the rat model.