Hepatoprotective and antioxidant potential of ferulic acid against acetaminophen-induced liver damage in mice

Abstract

In the present study, we aimed to investigate the hepatoprotective and antioxidant potential of ferulic acid against acetaminophen-induced liver damage in mice. Hepatotoxicity was induced in mice by single dose of acetaminophen (900 mg/kg body weight i.p.). Ferulic acid (80 mg/kg body weight i.p.) and silymarin (25 mg/kg/body weight i.p.) were administered 30 min after the injection of acetaminophen. After 4 h, the mice were killed; liver markers (aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, and total bilirubin) were estimated in serum, while the lipid peroxidation and antioxidant status (superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, glutathione-S-transferase, and glutathione) were determined in liver homogenate. Liver markers (aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, and total bilirubin) and lipid peroxidation levels were found to be increased in mice exposed to acetaminophen, whereas the antioxidant status was found to be depleted compared to that of the control group. However, ferulic acid administration (80 mg/kg body weight i.p.) to acetaminophen-intoxicated mice significantly reverse (p < 0.05) the above-mentioned changes similar to the positive drug silymarin as evidenced in liver histology. The results clearly exhibit that ferulic acid possesses promising hepatoprotective potential.