Pomegranate peel extracts (PPE) have been shown to possess significant antioxidant activity. This study aimed to evaluate the protective effect of PPE on carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced toxicity in mice. Forty adult mice were divided into four groups of 10 mice each. The first group was kept as a control. The second group was administered orally by PPE (400 mg/kg) for 15 days. The third group was intraperitoneally injected by a mixture of (1ml/kg) of CCl4 and sterile olive oil [1:1(v/v)] two times a week for 15 days. The fourth Group was injected (IP) by a mixture of (1ml/kg) of CCl4 and sterile olive oil [1:1(v/v)] two times a week concurrently with a daily oral dose of PPE (400 mg/kg) for 15 days. The biochemical studies showed that CCl4- intoxication induced a significant increase in serum of aspartate amino transferase (AST) and alanine amino transferase (ALT) levels and treatment with PPE showed decreased in these elevated enzymes. The histological examination of liver sections treated with CCl4 showed vacuolization, deterioration of the cytoplasm, necrosis, fatty degeneration and interstitial fibrosis which were improved by PPE treatment. By using Mallory's trichrome technique, CCl4-treated group illustrated highly increase of the collagen fibers and PPE treatment caused a detectable decrease of the collagen fibers. Also, CCl4-treated mice showed a significant increase in caspase-3 production which decrease by the treatment with PPE.

In conclusion, our results demonstrated that PPE through its antioxidant action efficiently improve the liver toxicity induced by CCl4.