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Background & objectives: The liver is one of the most important organs in the body and plays an essential role in the metabolism of drugs and toxins. Therefore, any damage to the liver can disrupt its function and cause various diseases. On the other hand, due to the increasing use of the medicinal herbs, in this study, the effects of hepatic protection of aqueous extracts of Humulus lupulus on liver damage induced by carbon tetrachloride in rats were investigated.
Methods: In this experimental study, 36 male Wistar rats were divided into 6 groups (n=6). Group 1 (normal control) and Group 2 (control CCl₄): administered with distilled water orally for 14 days. Groups 3, 4, and 5 received 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg of Humulus lupulus extract for 14 days respectively. Group 6: administered with silymarin (as standard drug) 100 mg/kg orally for 14 days. All of the groups except group 1 received 1 ml CCl₄ (1:1 v/v dissolved in olive oil) on 14^th day. All animals were sacrificed and blood samples were collected to determine the biochemical parameters.
Results: Pretreatment with a Humulus lupulus extract significantly reduced the serum levels of ALT, AST, ALP, TG, and increased the serum HDL levels, but did not have a significant effect on GGT and LDL levels.
Conclusion: The results of this study showed that the Humulus lupulus extract can protect the liver from damage caused by carbon tetrachloride and have beneficial effects on lipid profile.