Moringa oleifera inhibits liver fibrosis progression by inhibition of α-smooth muscle actin, tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases-1, and collagen-1 in rat model liver fibrosis

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: This research was conducted to prove the existence of an anti-fibrosis effect in the ethanol extract of Moringa oleifera (MO) leaves on the liver. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The liver fibrosis rat model was injected with chronic CCl4. The ethanol extract of MO leaves was divided into three doses (150, 300, and 600 mg/kg body weight) and given through oral gavage. RESULTS: The results of the histopathological analysis showed that the administration of MO ethanol extract could inhibit liver fibrosis as indicated by lower METAVIR scores than positive control rats. The immunohistochemical expression of collagen-1 in MO-fed rats also showed a decrease. The same thing was seen in the double-immunofluorescence staining analysis of α-SMA and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases-1 (TIMP-1), where the administration of MO ethanol extract decreased both markers. CONCLUSIONS: This study concluded that the increase in collagen-1, α-SMA, and TIMP-1 simultaneously caused a more severe degree of fibrosis (METAVIR score). The ethanol extract of MO leaves was proven to be able to inhibit the progression of liver fibrosis by reducing the expression of all three markers.