Determination of hepatoprotective effect of Mussaenda erythrophylla in paracetamol induced hepatotoxicity

Abstract

Background: Hepatotoxicity may be defined as liver injury caused by drugs and chemicals. Drug-induced liver injury is a major reason for withdrawing drugs from a market by Food Drug Administration, and it is based on the fact that drug-induced liver injury is responsible for more than 50% of all cases of acute liver failure. Many studies revealed about the hepatotoxic potential of paracetamol. Hence, the present study has undertaken to evaluate the hepatoprotective effect of Mussaenda erythrophylla (ME) in paracetamol induced hepatotoxicity in Wistar albino rats. Methods: The ethanolic extract ME studied for its hepatoprotective effect on paracetamol induced acute liver damage in Wistar albino rats. The degree of protection was measured using biochemical parameters such as serum glutamate oxalate transaminase (SGOT), serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase (SGPT), total bilirubin (TBL), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione (GSH) peroxidase (GPx), GSH, and ceruloplasmin levels. Results: Paracetamol treated group had enhanced levels of SGPT, SGOT, TBL (p<0.001) and decreased levels of GSH, SOD, and GPx (p<0.001) when compared with control group. Treatment with silymarin and also 200 mg/kg of MEleaf extract had significantly (p<0.001) brought down the elevated levels of SGPT, SGOT, and TBL and an increase in the levels of GSH, SOD, (p<0.01), GPx and ceruloplasmin (p<0.001). Conclusion: The results showed that ethanolic extract of ME leaf extract possesses significant hepatoprotective activity.