Abstract
Liver disease is a major health problem and its treatment is costly in most developing countries with attendant adverse effects. This study aimed at determining the acute hepatoprotective efficacy of Duranta erecta hydroethanolic extracts of leaves, ripe and unripe fruits against CCl4-, and acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity in animals. Materials and Methods. CCl4 (1 mL/kg body weight in olive oil) and acetaminophen (500 mg/kg b.wt) were used to induce hepatotoxicity in the animals. Animals were treated with extracts at 250 mg/kg b.wt and standard drug, silymarin (100 mg/kg), for 7 days. Hepatoprotective efficacy was assessed by assaying serum biochemical markers such as alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), gamma-glutamyl transferase (γGT), bilirubin (Bil), antioxidative biomarkers including reduced glutathione (GSH), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione transferase (GST), superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), hydrogen peroxidase (H202), and nitric oxide (NO), as well as histological observations. Results. Exposure of the animals to CCl4 and acetaminophen resulted in liver injury as evidenced by elevated ALT, AST, ALP, γGT, Bil, MDA, H2O2, and NO levels with resultant derangement in liver microarchitecture. Pretreatment with hydroethanolic extracts, particularly ripe fruits of Duranta erecta, led to a reduction in these indicators and an increase in GSH, GPx, GST, and SOD levels. Biochemical data were supported by improvement in liver structure. Conclusion. The findings suggest that hydroethanolic Duranta erecta ripe fruits extract possesses hepatoprotective and antioxidative activities against CCl4- and acetaminophen-induced toxicity and could be developed as a potent agent for drug-induced liver diseases.
Highlights
Effect of Treatment on Absolute and Relative Liver Weights. e intoxication with CCl4 and acetaminophen resulted in significant increases in the absolute liver weights (P < 0.001)
Duranta erecta ripe (DRR) cotreated with CCl4 resulted in decreases in H2O2 and MDA levels and increases in glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and nitric oxide (NO) compared with CCl4 only and Para only control groups
Organ toxicity happens when there are changes in cellular structure or functions even after administration and elimination of the causative agent [28]. e observed significant increase in absolute liver weight after the administration of CCl4 and acetaminophen may be the result of direct toxicity of these hepatotoxicants and/or indirect toxicity leading to hypertrophy and liver damage
Summary
Ey were kept under standard laboratory conditions and handled as stipulated in the guidelines of the Committee for the Purpose of Control and Supervision of Experiment on Animals (CPCSEA, New Delhi, India). In the experimental group of the animals, their body weight was taken into consideration to achieve approximately equal conditions among the groups. Forty-four animals (eleven groups, n 4) were used to study the acute hepatoprotective effect of Duranta erecta extracts on CCl4 and acetaminophen-induced liver damage. Group 1 served as vehicle control in both cases, received 1 mL/kg body weight (b.wt) of distilled water throughout the experiment. Group II animals were maintained as CCl4 control without any drug treatment.
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