A randomized controlled trial on albino rats treated with chicory plant to improve liver efficiency

Chicory can be used as herbal medicine against different ailments and also added to daily diet as vegetable or animal feed. An efficacy trial was conducted to assess the potential of this plant against liver disorders using rodent modeling. The trials comprised two modules i.e., normal diet and chicory-based supplemented diet. Moreover, experimental animals (rats) were divided into six groups with both modules including C₀ (control diet), C₁ (Chicory root containing diet), C₂ (chicory seed containing diet), C₃ (chicory stem containing diet) and C₄ (chicory leaf containing diet). During 56 days of the trial period, serum lipid profile, liver and renal functioning tests were performed. The highest feed and water intake, as well as weight gain, was noted in control (C₀) trailed by C₁, C₂, C₃, C₄ and C5group in an experimental trial, respectively. The resultant diet C2 lowered the liver alkaline phosphatase level (ALP) from C₀ (240.72±3.35) to 203.52±2.08 (C₂), respectively. Similarly, C₂ significantly lowered the ALT from 60.28±2.23 (C0) &57.58±0.91 (C₂) in rats. Moreover, C₂ treatment showed a maximum reduction of AST from 145.13±2.10 (C₀) to 134.52±1.24 (C₂), respectively. Convincingly, chicory-based diet may be employed as an alternative to medication in the prevention and treatment of hypercholesterolemia and hepatic malfunctioning.