Paracetamol-induced Hepatic Damage Research Articles

Evaluation of taurine as a biomarker of liver damage in paracetamol poisoning

Taurine is one of the most abundant amino acids in the body. Plasma taurine levels of 217 paracetamol positive and 100 paracetamol negative poisoned patients (related to non-hepatotoxic agents) referred to the Toxicology lab in Cardiff Poisons unit and 90 healthy humans (age between 18 and 45) were measured by a high performance liquid chromatography method. The data were analysed using linear regression and two-tailed unpaired student t-test using Prism software package. We showed that the mean plasma taurine concentration in the paracetamol-poisoned patients (mean 26.4 ± 1.6 mg/l) was significantly different from the control groups (mean 5.6 ± 0.2 mg/l) ( P < 0.0001) and the non-paracetamol group (mean 18.1 ± 1.1 mg/l) ( P < 0.01). Taurine is produced by the liver in response to a toxic insult and subsequent leakage from damaged cells leads to increased concentrations in plasma and urine. Therefore a plasma or urinary taurine concentration could be a useful marker for paracetamol-induced hepatic damage.

Hepetoprotective activity of phyllanthus emblica Linn.extract against paracetamol-induced hepatic damage in rats

Hepetoprotective activity of phyllanthus emblica Linn.extract against paracetamol-induced hepatic damage in rats

Possible mechanism of hepatoprotective activity of Azadirachta indica leaf extract against paracetamol-induced hepatic damage in rats: Part III

Possible mechanism of hepatoprotective activity of Azadirachta indica leaf extract against paracetamol-induced hepatic damage in rats: Part III

Antihepatotoxic Activity of Spilanthes ciliata

The ethanol extract of the whole plant of Spilanthes ciliata was screened for its hepatoprotective effects in Wistar rats. A significant hepatoprotective effect was obtained against paracetamol-induced hepatic damage as evident from decreased levels of serum enzymes and an almost normal histological architecture of the liver, following treatment with the plant extract prior to paracetamol overdose-induced liver damage. The extract was also effective in increasing the choleretic activity of anaesthetized normal rats. The extract shortened hexobarbitone-induced sleeping time in mice, which was increased by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) treatment, besides showing significant antilipid peroxidant effects in vitro.

Effect of Azadirachta indica on paracetamol-induced hepatic damage in albino rats.

Azadirachta indica, a plant used widely in Ayurveda, has been reported to have anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory and adaptogenic properties. The present study evaluates its hepatoprotective role. Fresh juice of tender leaves of Azadirachta indica (200 mg/kg body wt. p.o.) inhibited paracetamol (2 g/kg body wt. p.o.)-induced lipid peroxidation and prevented depletion of sulfhydryl groups in liver cells. There was an increase in serum marker enzymes of hepatic damage (aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase and alkaline phosphatase) after paracetamol administration. Azadirachta indica pretreatment stabilized the serum levels of these enzymes. Histopathological observations of liver tissues corroborated these findings.

Selective protective effect of an extract from Fumaria parviflora on paracetamol-induced hepatotoxicity

1. 1. The hepatoprotective activity of an aqueous-methanolic extract of Fumaria parviflora was investigated against paracetamol- and CCl 4-induced hepatic damage. 2. 2. Paracetamol (1 g/kg; orally) produced 100% mortality in mice; pretreatment of animals with the plant extract (500 mg/kg; orally) reduced the death rate to 50%. 3. 3. Pretreatment of rats with plant extract (500 mg/kg, orally twice daily for 2 days) prevented ( P<0.001) the paracetamol (640 mg/kg)-induced rise in serum enzymes alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and transaminases (GOT and GPT), whereas the same dose of the extract was unable to prevent ( P>0.05) the CCl 4-induced rise in serum enzyme levels. 4. 4. Posttreatment with 3 successive doses of the extract (500 mg/kg, 6 hourly) also restricted the paracetamol-induced hepatic damage. 5. 5. The plant extract (500 mg/kg; orally) caused significant prolongation in pentobarbital (75 mg/ kg)-induced sleep as well as increased strychnine-induced lethality in mice ( P<0.05), suggestive of an inhibitory effect on microsomal drug metabolizing enzymes (MDME). 6. 6. It is conceivable therefore, that Fumaria parviflora extract exhibits a selective protective effect against paracetamol-induced hepatotoxicity, probably mediated through MDME inhibition.

Effect of Teucrium stocksianum on paracetamol-induced hepatotoxicity in mice

1. 1. Hepatoprotective activity of an ethanolic extract of Teucrium stocksianum was investigated against paracetamol-induced hepatic damage in mice. 2. 2. Paracetamol at an oral dose of 0.6 g/kg produced about 94% mortality in mice while pretreatment with the plant extract (0.5 and 1 g/kg for 5 days) reduced the death rate to 0%. 3. 3. Paracetamol (0.6 g/kg, orally) produced liver damage as manifested by significant rises in liver weight, plasma aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activity and bilirubin concentration, pentobarbitone-induced sleeping time, and by the significant depletion of reduced glutathione (GSH) in the liver. 4. 4. Pretreatment of mice with T. stocksianum at the above doses significantly ameliorated all the paracetamol-induced signs of liver damage described above. 5. 5. T. stocksianum did not produce any lethality or adverse effects in the livers of treated mice. 6. 6. These results indicate that T. stocksianum ethanolic extract contains hepatoprotective constituents, and suggest further work on the isolation and characterization of these constituents which may potentially be used as hepatoprotective agents.