Raisins: A kitchen cabinet item can restores the liver function and structure

The aqueous methanol extract of raisins (Vitis vinifera) was investigated in carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄)-induced hepatotoxic rats model. Where it was found to revert the alteration induced by CCl₄ in liver structure and function by improving the body weights, liver index, liver and bile duct specific enzymes, liver conjugative and synthetic markers, reduced glutathione and the total bilirubin/ albumin ratio while increasing the percent inhibition of lipid peroxidation in test groups treated with extract in doses of 400 and 800 mg/kg body weight as compared to negative control group only treated with CCl₄ 3mL/kg that showed entirely opposite picture of all these parameters. Silymarin 100 mg/kg was used as reference hepatoprotective medicine in present study. In addition, histopathological studies of liver tissues of test groups displayed the restoration of liver anatomy. Therefore, raisins' extract proved to have liver protective, regenerative and antioxidant properties. These might reside in total phenolic content particularly in gallic acid and rutin in extract estimated and detected by spectrophotometric and high performance liquid chromatographic methods.