Protective effects of Passiflora alata extract pretreatment on carbon tetrachloride induced oxidative damage in rats

The leaf extract of Passiflora alata Dryander (P. alata) has been demonstrated to possess antioxidant activity in vitro. the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of P. alata leaf extract pretreatment on carbon tetrachloride-treated rats. Male Wistar rats were randomly allocated into four groups: group 1 (control - vehicle), group 2 and 3 (P. alata extract - 1 and 5 mg/kg, respectively) and group 4 (trolox - 0.18 mg/kg). Rats received daily pretreatment by oral gavage for 30 days followed by a single dose of CCl4 (3 ml/kg i.p. in vegetable oil) on the 30th day and were killed after 6 h. the pretreatment with the P. alata extract provided significant protection to liver, evidenced by lower degree of necrosis, decreased lipid peroxidation (TBARS) and higher catalase and superoxide dismutase activities. Additionally, pretreated-rats with P. alata (5 mg/kg) showed significantly decreased cardiac TBARS levels. Our results indicate that a low oral dose of P. alata leaf extract has both hepato and cardioprotective effects on rats treated with CCl4. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.Univ Fed Rio Grande do Sul, Inst Ciencias Basicas Saude, Dept Bioquim, Ctr Estudos Estresse Oxidat, Porto Alegre, RS, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Curso Farm, Inst Ciencias Biol, São Paulo, BrazilUniv Sul Catarinense, Lab Fisiopatol Expt, Criciuma, SC, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Curso Farm, Inst Ciencias Biol, São Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc