Sodium benzoate induced toxicities in albino male rats: mitigating effects of Ficus carica and Cymbopogon citratus leave extract

Herbal products have become widely used in managing and treating a wide range of illnesses. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the total phenolic and flavonoid contents, antioxidant and protective effects of Cymbopogon citratus ethyl acetate and Ficus carica hexane leave extract (200 mg/kg b.w for both) on sodium benzoate (SB) (200 mg/kg b.w) toxicity in rats. For 6 weeks, four groups of five rats each (control, SB, F. carica + SB, and C. citrates+ SB). Blood sample (liver, kidney) tissue and histological examination were used at the end of the experiment. According to the findings, the extracts have significant concentrations of total flavonoids, total phenolics, and antioxidant activity. Oxidative stress caused by SB exposure induced an increase in ALT, AST, ALP, glucose, urea, creatinine, uric acid, TG, TC, LDL, and MDA, while insulin and SOD were decreased. Furthermore, the biochemical alterations generated by SB in the blood serum, homogenate, liver, and kidney tissue were significantly reduced by C. citratus ethyl acetate and F. carica hexane leave extracts (P < 0.05). The leaf extracts of the examined plants had significant curative and preventive effects in SB-induced liver and kidney damage, resulting in diminished liver and kidney biomarker enzymes, an improved antioxidant defense system, and lipid peroxidation inhibition.