Hepatoprotective standardized EtOH–water extract of the leaves of Ziziphus jujuba

Abstract

The hepatoprotective activity of the EtOH–water extract of Ziziphus jujuba leaves was evaluated against CCl₄-induced hepatic damage in mice. The EtOH–water extract significantly alleviated liver damage as indicated by the decreased levels of serum ALT and AST and the decreased MDA content, the increased levels of SOD, GSH and GSH-Px, and the reduced pathological tissue injury induced by CCl₄. A quantitative analysis of fifteen major constituents (1–15) of the EtOH–water extract of the leaves of Z. jujuba was conducted by HPLC-DAD. Based on our research results, it can be concluded that the EtOH–water extract of the leaves of Z. jujuba is efficacious for prevention and treatment of CCl₄-induced hepatic injury in mice. Flavonoids might be the active ingredients responsible for the biological and pharmacological activities towards hepatoprotection.