Eriobotrya japonica fruit extract supplementation improves altered PON-1, LDL oxidation, and hepatic function in an experimental rat model

Hepatotoxicity is a pathological condition characterised by disrupted biochemical parameters. This study aims to evaluate the hepatoprotective effects of Eriobotrya japonica fruit extract (EJFE) by assessing biochemical endpoints in a rat model of carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced liver injury. The study was carried out with five experimental groups of Wistar rats (n = 6): I- Control, II- Negative Control, III- EJFE (200 mg/kg b.w.), IV- EJFE (400 mg/kg b.w.), and V- Standard (Silymarin-treated). CCl4 exposure resulted in a marked reduction in antioxidant potential (p < 0.05) and increases in oxidative stress (p < 0.05), accompanied by detrimental alterations in the lipid, liver-specific enzymes, and biomolecules. Significant (p < 0.05) elevated levels of protein carbonyl (PCO), malondialdehyde (MDA), and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation susceptibility, along with reduced paraoxonase-1 (PON-1) activity and reduced glutathione (GSH) level, reflect compromised liver function. Treatment with EJFE significantly ameliorated these effects via enhancing PON-1 activity and reducing susceptibility of LDL to oxidation, further supporting the extracts antioxidative and hepatoprotective potential.