Effect of Moringa oleifera Seed Oil on IL-Iβ and IL-18 Gene Expression in Mice (Mus muculus) Liver Fibrosis Model

¹ Departement of Biology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Negeri Malang, Semarang St. 5, Malang 65145, Indonesia
² Departement of Biosciences, Faculty of Sciences, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Iman St., 81310 Skudai, Johor Darul Ta’zim, Malaysia

^* Corresponding author: hendrabio@um.ac.id

Abstract

Liver fibrosis is a common pathological condition that can progress to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. One potential treatment involves natural ingredients, such as moringa seed oil (MOSEIL). The proinflammatory cytokines IL-1β and IL-18 play a role in liver fibrosis pathogenesis, and their increased expression may indicate fibrosis progression. This study examines the effect of MOSEIL on IL-1β and IL-18 gene expression in a liver fibrosis mouse model induced by CCl₄ BALB/c mice were treated with CCl₄ for one month, followed by CCl₄ and MOSEIL in the second month. Gene expression was analyzed using RT-qPCR. The results showed that MOSEIL prevented weight loss in mice and altered liver morphology, including color changes, lump formation, and cell infiltration in histopathology. Additionally, MOSEIL suppressed IL-1β and IL-18 expression, inhibiting fibrosis progression. In conclusion, MOSEIL can reduce fibrosis development by modulating pro-inflammatory gene expression. These findings support its potential use in developing MOSEIL-based treatments for chronic liver disease.