Abstract
Cuscuta arvensis Beyr. is a parasitic plant, and commonly known as “dodder” in Europe, in the United States, and “tu si zi shu” in China. It is one of the preferred spices used in sweet and savory dishes. Also, it is used as a folk medicine for the treatment particularly of liver problems, knee pains, and physiological hepatitis, which occur notably in newborns and their mothers in the southeastern part of Turkey. The purpose of this study was to investigate the hepatoprotective effects and antioxidant activities of aqueous and methanolic extracts of C. arvensis Beyr. on acetaminophen (APAP)-induced acute hepatotoxicity in rats. The results were supported by subsequent histopathological studies. The hepatoprotective activity of both the aqueous and methanolic extracts at an oral dose of 125 and 250 mg/kg was investigated by observing the reduction levels or the activity of alkaline phosphatase, alkaline transaminase, aspartate aminotransferase, blood urine nitrogen, and total bilirubin content. In vivo antioxidant activity was determined by analyzing the serum superoxide dismutase, malondialdehyde, glutathione, and catalase levels. Chromatographic methods were used to isolate biologically active compounds from the extract, and spectroscopic methods were used for structure elucidation. Both the methanolic and aqueous extracts exerted noticable hepatoprotective and antioxidant effects supporting the folkloric usage of dodder. One of the bioactive compounds was kaempferol-3-O-rhamnoside, isolated and identified from the methanolic extract.
Highlights
Hepatotoxicity is a leading cause of lack of continuation of a drug therapy
This study demonstrated that the Sprague–Dawley rats were able to recover from hepatotoxic symptoms successfully
The extract significantly decreased the liver enzymes AST, ALT, and ALP levels and biochemical parameters BUN and TB in a dose-dependent manner in APAP intoxicated rats. This extract increased antioxidant enzyme (GSH, CAT, and superoxide dismutase (SOD)) levels and decreased MDA levels, which is an indication of the recovery from lipid peroxidation in APAP hepatotoxicity-induced rats
Summary
Hepatotoxicity is a leading cause of lack of continuation of a drug therapy. Research on hepatotoxicity suggests that reactive metabolites or xenobiotics, excessive alcohol consumption, environmental, and some disease conditions are responsible for moderate to severe liver injury. Compounds causing hepatotoxicity directly affect the mitochondrial respiratory chain, the permeability transitional pore, cytochromes P-450, glutathione (GSH) S-acyltransferases, and other antioxidant mechanisms in living organisms.. Several plant extracts and polyherbal medications have been clinically approved for their effective hepatoprotective. #Ufuk Koca-Caliskan et al, 2018; Published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.
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