29.2.6.14 Glycyrrhiza glabra

Glycyrrhiza glabra belongs to family Leguminosae and is commonly known as

liquorice. It is most commonly used in the traditional systems of medicine.

Glycyrrhizin is the main active constituent present in the plant, and it helps in the

protection of liver injury in various animal models such as CCl4 hepatotoxicity and

hepatitis. The protective effect of glycyrrhizin is due to its antioxidant, immuno-

modulatory and anti-inflammatory activities. It is also reported to enhance the

hepatic glucuronidation and activates P450 Phase I detoxification reactions (Anand

and Lal 2016).

29.2.6.15 Marrubium vulgare

M. vulgare is most commonly known as horehound and belongs to Lamiaceae

family. It is a Mediterranean plant that is used since antiquity to treat various

disorders. Various activities possessed by this plant are analgesic, anti-inflammatory,

antidyslipidemic, antioxidant and hypoglycaemic (Sahpaz et al. 2002; Elberry et al.

2015). Total 46 compounds, containing 96.3% of the oil, were found to be present in

this plant. The important constituents present in the oil are (E)-caryophyllene,

germacrene D and bicyclogermacrene (Elberry et al. 2010). The hepatoprotective

effect of methanol extract of M. vulgare whole plant was investigated in

paracetamol-induced hepatotoxicity at the doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg. Treatment

of animals with methanol extract resulted in the significant reduction in the elevated

serum levels of ALT, AST, ALP, albumin, total bilirubin and triglycerides and also

decreased the oxidative stress showing its potential in hepatotoxicity (Akther et al.

2013).

29.2.6.16 Melilotus officinalis

This medicinal herb melilot or yellow sweet clover (family Fabaceae) is widely

distributed around the world. It is published in the European Pharmacopoeia

ed. 8, and traditionally used in Europe for hepatoprotection. The plant is distributed

all over the world, native in Asia and Middle and South Europe. Its ethanolic extract

contains antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds (Sheikh et al. 2016; Liu et al.

2018). Aqueous extract shows the highest antioxidant activity, due to phenols and

tannins that dominate in it (Mladwenovic et al. 2016). Within the water-soluble

compounds, carotenoids, with special emphasis on lutein, exert strong anti-

inflammatory effect (Horváth et al. 2021). Hepatoprotective effect has been affirmed

by Alamgeer et al. against paracetamol and carbon tetrachloride-induced liver injury

(Alamgeer et al. 2017).

29.2.6.17 Nigella sativa

N. sativa is used since ancient times by people of the Middle East nation due to its

aromatic properties. This aromatic plant is a member of Ranunculaceae family and is

used for the treatment of asthma, bronchitis, cough, eczema, fever and influenza. It is

reported that seeds of N. sativa possess antioxidant and resolution of hepatorenal

toxicity (Al-Ghamdi 2001). It has been proven that the volatile oil of this plant

contains monoterpenes such as p-cymene, α-pinene and thymoquinone (Kanter et al.

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