Miracle leaves that may help protect against liver damage

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http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-05/soci-mlt052008.php

 

Society of Chemical Industry

Fri, 23 May 2008 09:41 EDT

 

Sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides) berries are well known for their

cholesterol busting properties, but scientists in India say that its

leaves are also rich in anti-oxidants and may help ward off liver

disease, according to new research due to be published in the Society

of Chemical Industry's (SCI) Journal of the Science of Food and

Agriculture.

 

Indigineous to the mountainous regions of China and Russia, sea

buckthorn has been shown to be rich in vitamin C, vitamin E,

flavonoids and essential fatty acids. The leaves are also used to make

a tea.

 

In a clinically controlled study, scientists looked at whether the

leaves had any protective effects by testing a group of rats, some of

whom were given the leaf extract before being administered with a

liver damage agent, carbon tetrachloride (CCI4).

 

Six groups were looked at in all - group 1 was given a daily dose of

saline for 5 days; group 2 received saline for 4 days and on the 5th

day was given CCI4; group 3 was given a daily dose of silymarin for 5

days followed by a single dose of CCI4; groups 4, 5 and 6 were given

50, 100 and 200mg of sea buckthorn leaf extract respectively for five

days followed by a single dose of CCI4 on the 5th day.

 

The results showed that the leaf extract appeared to confer a

protective mechanism on the liver - the rats given CCI4 minus the leaf

extract had sustained significant liver damage compared to the control

group that did not receive CCI4. In comparison, liver damage was

severely restricted in the rats given leaf extract at 100mg and 200mg

and CCI4.