Abstract:
Background. Agrimonia eupatoria L. (Rosaceae) and Cichorium intybus L. (Asteraceae) are
medicinal plants with a long tradition of use for a variety of therapeutic purposes: antiinflammatory, astingent, antioxidant, being rich in phenolic compounds (flavonoids, phenolic acids
and tannins). There is limited data available on their hepatoprotective effects, particularly in relation
to extracts obtained from their aerial parts.
Material ant methods. The plant products derived from the two species were collected throughout
the flowering period and dried extracts of the aerial parts were obtained with 60% (w/w) ethanol.
Toxic hepatitis was induced an in vivo model with CCl4 (0,4 g/100 g) in rats and the protective
effects of the two extracts, in doses of 100, 200, 400 mg of (Agrimoniae herba and Cichorii herba)
were evaluated by biochemical and histological investigations. For histological analysis of the
samples, hematoxylin-euzine staining was performed and the samples were visualized by light
microscopy (tipe Olympus).
Results. The histological analysis (H-Ex90) of the samples determined that in the liver we have
swelling of the hepatocyte cytoplasm with granular inclusions, dilated centrilobular vein, dilated
dysse spaces and interstitial oedema in all groups treated with CCl4; for the maximum dose of
Agrimonia herba extracts (400 mg)- cytoplasmic swelling of hepatocytes with granular inclusions,
dilated centrilobular vein, dilated dysse spaces, interstitial oedema and perilobular vesicular and
hydropic dystrophy were observed, indicating an aggressive process on the liver parenchyma.
Conclusions. The Cichorii herba extract in doses: 100, 200, 400 mg and Agrimoniae herba extract
(100, 200 mg) can be used in further studies for the development of new pharmaceutical forms.
