Research on the protective and therapeutic effects of tarragon plant (Artemissia drancunculus L.) against induced acute liver toxicity damage of wistar albino rats

In this study, it is planned to evaluate the efficacy of the extract obtained from Tarragon (Artemissia drancunculus) plant on acute liver injury induced with carbon tetrachloride (CCl4). This study was first to evaluated the effect of tarrago against to liver toxicity. 60 Wistar albino rats divided into 6 groups randomly as three control, and three experimental groups (n=10). Every other day during a 6 week trial ethanolic extract of tarragon was given to the rats by gavage (p.o.) and 0.2 ml/kg CCl4 (MerckR, Germany) mixed with olive oil (1:5 ratio) was injected to rats intraperitoneally (i.p.). Basal diet and normal saline to the 1st control group, CCl4:olive (1:5, 0.2 ml/kg) oil to the 2nd control group, and 500 mg/kg ethanolic extract of tarragon and normal saline was applied to the 3rd group. In experimental groups, CCl4:olive (1:5, 0.2 ml/kg) and respectively 250-500-750 mg/kg of ethanolic extract of tarragon was administered. At the end of experiment cardiac blood was taken from all animals under light ether anesthesia and AST, ALT, MDA, direct bilirubin, TAS and TOS parameters were evaluated. Then, all the animals were sacrificed and removed liver tissue was subjected to histopathological evaluation. At the preparations of the 1st control group rats, while maintaining normal liver structure, only in the group that CCl4 treated the formation of a common cirrhosis was observed. In all groups that ethanolic extract of tarragon was applied biochemically and histopathologically positive effects were detected and it was determined that A. drancunculus has protective and stronger effect in dose dependent manner.