Abstract
Purpose: To investigate the hepatoprotective activity of methanol extracts of peduncles, flowers and spathes of Pandanus odoratissimus L. inflorescence in acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity in guinea pigs.Methods: The animals were randomly assigned to 9 groups (3 animals per group) and treated orally for 10 consecutive days. Group 1 served as normal control and received distilled water (1 ml/kg); groups 2 - 4 received methanol extracts of peduncle, flower, and spathes of P. odoratissimus L. (500 mg/kg), respectively, in the absence of acetaminophen (APAP); group 5 served as hepatotoxic control and received APAP (3 g/kg) on days 1 and 2; group 6 served as standard treatment group and received silymarin (100 mg/kg) + 3 g/kg APAP on days 1 and 2; groups 7 - 9 received methanol extracts of peduncle, flower, and spathes of P. odoratissimus L. (500 mg/kg) respectively + 3 g/kg APAP on days 1 and 2. Serum enzyme activities (AST, ALT, ALP) and total bilirubin were determined. Histopathological examinations of the liver were also carried out.Results: The methanol extract of the peduncle alleviated the liver damage induced by APAP as evident by the improved histopathology picture similar to that of silymarin which presented with only mild hydropic and fatty changes. The extract also reduced the liver enzymes - AST, ALT and ALP - by 42, 50 and 59 %, respectively (p < 0.05), but the reduction (32 %) in total bilirubin was not significant 32 %. On the other hand, the flower extract only lowered AST and ALP by 31 and 48 % (p < 0.05), respectively, while the reduction in ALT and total bilirubin by 33 and 18 % respectively, was not significant.Conclusion: P. odoratissimus L. peduncle has potential hepatoprotective activity against APAPinduced hepatotoxicity in guinea pigs.Keywords: Pandanus odoratissimus L., Peduncle, Flowers, Hepatoprotection, Acetaminophen, Guinea pigs
Highlights
Drug-induced liver injury is a potential complication of virtually every prescribed medication because the liver has a central role in the metabolism of all drugs and toxic substances [1]
Group 1 served as normal control group and received distilled water (1 ml/kg body weight); groups 2 - 4 received only methanol extracts of peduncle, flower, and spathes of P. odoratissimus L. (500 mg/kg) respectively in the absence of APAP; group 5 served as hepatotoxic control received APAP (3 g/kg) on days 1 and 2; group 6 served as standard treated with silymarin (100 mg/kg) for 10 days + 3 g/kg APAP on days 1 and 2; groups 7 - 9 received methanol extracts of peduncle, flower, and spathes of P. odoratissimus L. (500 mg/kg) respectively + 3 g/kg APAP on days 1 and 2
In the untreated animals with APAP, both peduncle and flower methanol extracts showed no significant effect on the liver enzymes tested as well as total bilirubin
Summary
Drug-induced liver injury is a potential complication of virtually every prescribed medication because the liver has a central role in the metabolism of all drugs and toxic substances [1]. Acetaminophen (N-acetyl-p-aminophenol, Paracetamol; APAP) is a widely used analgesic and antipyretic drug that is safe and effective when taken at therapeutic doses [2]. When administered in an acute or cumulative overdose it can cause severe liver damage or even acute liver failure that can be fatal in experimental animals and humans [3,4]. Acetaminophen is metabolized by cytochrome P450 to N-acetyl-p-benzoquinone-imine (NAPQI), which can react rapidly with glutathione (GSH) [5], so that large doses of APAP may result in a profound depletion of hepatocellular GSH [2,5]. Traditional healers of Villupuram (Tamil Nadu, India) uses the young tender shoots of Pandanus spp. along with overnight soaked boiled rice water as a treatment to cure patients suffering from severe jaundice [9]
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