Ocimum gratissimum is a traditional herb commonly found in tropical regions, which prevents free radical damage and protects the liver from oxidative stress. In this study, we tested in vivo and in vitro the effectiveness of O. gratissimum extracts (OGEs) in anti-hepatic fibrosis in rats. Male Wistar rats were administered with carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) by intraperitoneal injection and varying amounts of oral injection of OGE doses (0-40 mg/kg body weight) for 8 weeks. Our experiments showed that OGE significantly reduced liver damage, including steatosis and fibrosis, in a dose-dependent manner, as well as significantly decreased the elevation in plasma aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT). It also inhibited the formation of lipid peroxidative products during CCl4 treatment. Moreover, OGE-inhibited CCl4-induced liver collagen accumulation and promoted the expression of catalase, an anti-oxidative enzyme. The inhibition of fibrosis factors α-SMA expression was also observed. In primary cultures, OGE significantly inhibited the serum-induced activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), and the expression of α-SMA and collagen α (I). These data suggest that O. gratissimum possesses anti-hepatic fibrosis properties via its anti-oxidative components.
