Abstract:
An investigation of the aqueous ethanolic extract (AE) of the aerial parts of Torilis radiata
Moench yielded two triterpenes (lupeol acetate 1 and α-amyrin 2), a sterol (spinasterol 3)
from its n-hexane fraction (HF), a flavone (acacetin 4), a coumarin (scopoletin 5), a phenolic
acid (ferulic acid 6) from the chloroform fraction (CF) and a flavone glycoside (luteolin-7-
O-glucoside 7) from the n-butanol fraction (BF). The hepatoprotection of the AE and its
fractions was assessed in terms of the reduction in histological damage, accompanied by
restoration of the liver enzymes (alanine amino transferase (ALT), aspartate amino
transferase (AST), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)), a reduction in the inflammatory markers
(tumour necrosis-α (TNF-α), nitric oxide (NO), N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase (NAG) and
myloperoxidase (MPO) in serum), and a restoration of the oxidant balance through
decreasing the serum and hepatic malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, along with increasing the
activity of hepatic catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GSHPx) and the non-enzymatic
antioxidant glutathione (GSH).