HEPATOPROTECTIVE EFFECTS OF MORINGA OLEIFERA EXTRACTS ON ACETAMINOPHEN-INDUCED OXIDATIVE DAMAGE IN RATS

is study aimed to evaluate the in-vitro antioxidant activities of Moringa Oleifera Lam (MO) extracts, and their protective effects in acetaminophen (APAP)- induced liver injury in rats caused by oxidative damage. The antioxidants activities of ethanolic, aqueous and hexane extracts of different MO edible parts were investigated by DPPH radical scavenging capacity and malondialdehyde (MDA) assays. The ethanolic extracts of different parts of MO were found to have higher antioxidant capacity compared to the aqueous and hexane extracts. The flowers ethanolic extract has the highest total antioxidants capacity among the other different parts of MO follo wed by leaves, pods, roots and finally seeds. HPLC-MS scanning of ethanolic leave extracts showed the presence of flavonoid derivates Apigenin, quercetin and kaempferol in addition to chlorogenic acid.  In the hepatoprotective study, either leaves or pods extracts (300mg/Kg bw or 600mg/Kg bw stomach tube orally) were administrated to rats one hour prior to administration of a single dose of APAP (4g/Kg bw by stomach tube orally). The hepatoprotective activity of MO leaves and pods extracts were followed for 21 days by observed in the levels of liver markers such as alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and the levels of oxidative damage markers including superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA) and catalase (CAT), wich analysed and compared between groups pretreated with MO extracts +APAP to those treated with  APAP alone. The outcome of this parameters indicate reduction in the severity of liver damage in group treated with MO extracts + APAP and compared to those treated with APAP alone . Also, histopathological examination of liver tissues of rats treated with MO extracts showed an improvement at the end of experiment.  The results of this study indicate the hepatoprotective properties of MO leaves and pods ethanolic extracts against liver injury and thereby signify its traditional use.