Diet and good digestion are important factors for good health and also help to regulate mental health. Gastrointestinal disorders not only have a negative impact on the functioning of vital organs in the body but also have an impact on a person’s psyche.

The liver is one of the main gastrointestinal organs and has several functions, the main ones being metabolism (synthesis of carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins and storage of vitamins A, D, E, K, and glycogen) and detoxification. Since the liver is a purifying organ, prolonged late nights and constant social drinking habits can overwhelm the liver and cause problems. It causes a great number of diseases, such as alcoholic, toxic, and inflammatory diseases.

Since ancient times, plants have been a very important source of natural chemical compounds with great therapeutic potential in African, Chinese, and Ayurvedic medicines. Therefore, in search of remedies to establish health, researchers are increasingly studying these medicinal plants.

Chrysanthellum americanum (L.) Vatke is a plant used in traditional Burkina Faso medicine for its extracts that have antioxidant capacity, but it is also well known in the field of herbal research and a good choice for the treatment of conditions related to oxidative stress.

Liver pathologies are disorders or diseases exacerbated by oxidative stress that affect the patient psychologically. In this study, by evaluating the effect of the polyphenol extract of Chrysanthellum americanum on carbon tetrachloride hepatotoxicity (CCl4) in a rat model, it was found that the polyphenol extract of Chrysanthellum americanum significantly prevented the oxidative aggression of carbon tetrachloride on the rat liver. This beneficial action was manifested by the considerable reduction in necrotic cell numbers and the decrease in transaminases and malondialdehyde serum levels. Moreover, investigations showed that this plant is traditionally used for decoction and oral administration. This study also found that this plant extract had a very low acute oral toxicity.

In summary, the study confirms the benefits of Chrysanthellum americanum, used in traditional medicine for the specific care of liver diseases.

Guenné, S., Ouattara, N., Meda, N. T. R., Kinda, P. T., Ouédraogo, N., Ciobica, A., … & Nacoulma, O. G. (2019). Relevance of Chrysanthellum americanum (L.) Vatke Extracts in Rat Liver Protection. International Journal of Biochemistry Research & Review, 2019, 1-10. Gebhardt, R. (1992). Metabolic zonation of the liver: regulation and implications for liver function. Pharmacology & therapeutics, 53(3), 275-354. [Link]