Morinda elliptica L. (Rubiaceae) is a phytomedicinal herb, used to treat gastrointestinal complications in Peninsular Malaysia. The study evaluates the in vivo hepatoprotective activity of ethanolic extract of M. elliptica stem in thioacetamide (TAA) induced liver fibrosis in male Sprague Drawly rats. Thirty adult rats were divided into five groups of six rats each. Rats of the normal control group received intraperitoneal injections (i. p.) of vehicle 10% Tween-20, 5 ml/kg, and hepatotoxic group 200 mg/kg TAA three times per week respectively. Three supplementary groups were treated with TAA plus daily oral silymarin (50 mg/kg) or M. elliptica (250 or 500 mg/kg). After 8 weeks of treatment, all rats were sacrificed. Liver fibrosis was assessed by gross macroscopic and microscopic tissue analysis, histopathological, and biochemical analysis. The livers of the TAA treated group showed uniform coarse granules, hepatocytic necrosis with lymphocytes infiltration. Contrary, the livers of M. elliptica treated groups (250 and 500 mg/kg) were much smoother and the cell damage was much lesser. The livers of M. elliptica treated groups rats showed elevated activity of SOD and CAT with a significant decrease in MDA level at p
Medicinal plants are the primary raw materials used in the production of medicinal products all over the world. As a result, more study on plants with therapeutic potential is required. The tropical tree Ziziphus spina belongs to the Rhamnaceae family. Biological reports and traditional applications including management of diabetes and treatment of malaria, digestive issues, typhoid, liver complaints, weakness, skin infections, urinary disorders, obesity, diarrhoea, and sleeplessness have all been treated with different parts of Z. spina all over the globe. The plant is identified as a rich source of diverse chemical compounds. This study is a comprehensive yet detailed review of Z. spina based on major findings from around the world regarding ethnopharmacology, biological evaluation, and chemical composition. Scopus, Web of Science, BioMed Central, ScienceDirect, PubMed, Springer Link, and Google Scholar were searched to find published articles. From the 186 research articles reviewed, we revealed the leaf extract to be significant against free radicals, microbes, parasites, inflammation-related cases, obesity, and cancer. Chemically, polyphenols/flavonoids were the most reported compounds with a composition of 66 compounds out of the total 193 compounds reported from different parts of the plant. However, the safety and efficacy of Z. spina have not been wholly assessed in humans, and further well-designed clinical trials are needed to corroborate preclinical findings. The mechanism of action of the leaf extract should be examined. The standard dose and safety of the leaf should be established.