Preventive effect of Moringa oleifera seed oil (MOSEIL) in mice (Mus musculus) liver fibrosis model

¹ Department 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.

¹ Corresponding author: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Abstract

Persistent liver injury leads to liver fibrosis, a pathological condition distinguished by the excessive deposition of extracellular matrix components, especially collagen. This condition is a critical stage leading to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, so prevention at the early stage is essential. Moringa oleifera seed oil (MOSEIL) contains bioactive compounds such as oleic acid, kaempferol, and quercetin, which exhibit antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antifibrotic activities. This research aimed to investigate MOSEIL's preventive potential against liver fibrosis in mice. Hepatocyte injury was assessed by hematoxylin eosin (HE) staining, while collagen accumulation was evaluated with Picrosirius red staining. The results showed that the fibrosis model group experienced changes in liver architecture, hepatocyte degeneration, and inflammatory cell infiltration. In contrast, the MOSEIL treatment group showed histological structure improvement with reduced cell damage and inflammatory infiltration. Picrosirius red staining demonstrated marked collagen deposition in the fibrosis group, whereas the MOSEIL-treated group exhibited a pronounced reduction in collagen accumulation, especially within the perisinusoidal and periportal regions. In conclusion, MOSEIL has potential as a preventive agent for liver fibrosis through histological improvement and inhibition of collagen deposition, thereby supporting its use as a candidate for natural-based therapy.