Abstract
BACKGROUND: There is growing interest in natural antioxidants, particularly Solanum nigrum (S. nigrum), because of their potential to protect against oxidative stress-induced organ damage and their intriguing historical use in treating various medical conditions. AIM: This pioneering study examined the unique antioxidant, hepatoprotective, and renoprotective effects of S. nigrum methanolic leaf extract on carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4))-induced toxicity in albino rats. METHODS: Thirty albino rats (100-120 g) were used. The 2.2 di-(4-tretoctylphenyl)-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging assay was used to evaluate the antioxidant properties of S. nigrum extract. This study examined the protective effects of 150 and 300 mg/kg leaf extract against CCl(4)-induced toxicity. Body weight, hematological markers, and kidney and liver function were assessed. Histological analysis of liver and kidney tissue was performed. RESULTS: The radical scavenging activity of S. nigrum was a remarkable 85.02 ± 0.01 RSA%, compared to 66.83 ± 0.02 RSA% for gallic acid, with IC(50) values of 58.3 and 1.22 μg/ml, respectively. Solanum nigrum treatment significantly decreased alanine transaminase and aspartate transaminase activities relative to CCl(4)-induced toxicity, a finding of significance in pharmacology and toxicology. CONCLUSION: The S. nigrum methanolic extract has an IC(50) value of 58.3 μg/ml, demonstrating potent natural antioxidant properties that mitigate hepatotoxicity and renotoxicity induced by CCl(4).