MOLECULAR EVALUATION OF A PHYLLANTHUS NIRURI NANOSTRUCTURED LIPID CARRIER IN CARBON TETRACHLORIDE-INDUCED HEPATIC INJURY THROUGH OXIDATIVE STRESS, INFLAMMATORY, AND APOPTOTIC GENE EXPRESSION ANALYSIS

Abstract

Hepatic injury induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄) is primarily mediated through oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis, resulting in severe hepatocellular damage. The present study evaluated the hepatoprotective potential of a Phyllanthus niruri nanostructured lipid carrier (PN-NLC) in a CCl₄-induced rat model. PN-NLC was prepared and characterized for its physicochemical properties before in vivo evaluation. Hepatoprotective activity was assessed using serum biochemical markers, oxidative stress parameters, inflammatory cytokines, histopathological examination, and quantitative real-time PCR analysis of antioxidant, inflammatory, and apoptotic genes. PN-NLC treatment significantly improved liver function markers, restored endogenous antioxidant enzyme activity, suppressed pro-inflammatory mediators, regulated the expression of Nrf2, HO-1, TNF-α, IL-6, NF-κB, Bax, Bcl-2, and Caspase-3, and markedly improved hepatic histoarchitecture compared with the CCl₄ control group. These findings indicate that PN-NLC exerts potent hepatoprotective effects through modulation of oxidative stress, inflammatory signaling, and apoptosis, highlighting its potential as a promising nano-herbal therapeutic approach for the management of liver injury.