Antioxidant and hepatoprotective action of cassava leaf flour extract against injury induced by CCl4 in rats

In the present study, we assessed the effect of the cassava leaf flour (CLF) extract on the antioxidant activity and liver injury in rats. For the extract preparation, the CLF was kept under maceration in 50% ethanol at a 1:40 ratio (w/v) for 30 min. and then centrifuged at 2,500 x g for 15 min. The supernatant was collected and the precipitate was again subjected to the extraction process with 70% acetone, as described above; the supernatants were collected, rotoevaporated for removal of solvents and lyophilized to give the extract. The animals received intraperitoneal doses of carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) and daily doses of the extract by gavage. After the treatment, we tested the activity of the enzymes aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT), and lipid peroxidation, determining the concentration of albumin and serum protein, total lipids and liver histopathology. Treatment with the CLF extract was capable of inhibiting damage induced by CCl4, presenting a lower degree of steatosis. Protection was demonstrated by the lower activities of serum enzymes in liver damage, such as AST, ALT and GGT, low levels of lipid peroxidation and histopathological observation. These actions were attributed to phenolic compounds, such as gallic acid, gallocatechin, catechin and chlorogenic acid found in the CLF extract.   Key words: Manihot esculenta, leaves, phenolic compounds, carbon tetrachloride, enzyme, lipid peroxidation.