A study led by Arshed Iqbal Dar from Pest Control & Ayurvedic Drug Research Laboratory Vidisha assessed the hepatoprotective activity of Citrullus colocynthis L., Feronia limonia L. & Tribullus terrestris L.  in albino rats against paracetamol as hepatotoxin to prove their claims in folklore practice against liver viz.The extent of hepatic damage was assessed by histological evaluation & the level of various biochemical parameters in circulation.
Paracetamol (N-acetyl-p-aminophenol) is a widely used analgesic & antipyretic drug & is safe when used in therapeutic doses. However, over dosage of paracetamol is known to be hepatotoxic & nephrotoxic in humans & in experimental animals. At lower doses, about 80% of ingested paracetamol is eliminated mainly as sulfate & glucoronide conjugates before oxidation & only 5% is oxidized by hepatic cytochrome P450 (CYP2E1) to a highly reactive & toxic electrophile i-e N-acetyl-p-benzoquineimine (NAPQI). After over dosage of paracetamol the glucoronidation & sulfation routes become saturated & as a consequence, paracetamol is increasingly metabolized into NAPQI.
In the present study the damage of liver due to paracetamol over dosage was confirmed by elevated levels of biochemical parameters like AST, ALT, ALP, Serum bilirubin, total cholesterol, serum triglycerides etc. This is due to the fact that hepatic cells possess a variety of metabolic activities & contain a host of enzymes. SGPT, SGOT found in higher concentration in cytoplasm & SGPT particularly in mitochondria. In liver injury the transport function of hepatocytes was found to be disturbed, resulting in the leakage of plasma membrane, thereby causing leakage of such enzymes leading to the increased serum levels of them. Herbal formulation decreased the elevated levels of AST, ALT which may be a consequence of the stabilization of plasma membrane as wel as repair of hepatic tissue damage caused by paracetamol. This may be supported by a view that the healing of hepatic parenchyma & regeneration of hepatocytes. Serum ALP & bilirubin levels on the other hand are related to the function of hepatic cell. Increased in serum ALP level is due to increased synthesis in presence of billary pressure.The herbal formulation shows dose dependent significant reduction in serum ALP & bilirubin, indicating an improvement in the secretory mechanism. Total cholesterol & serum triglycerides level also increased in paracetamol induced liver damage. Total cholesterol level increased may be due to the inhibition or destruction of triglycerides secretory mechanism by liver. Herbal formulation significantly reduced the level of total cholesterol & serum triglycerides. Histological examination of the liver sections reveals that the normal liver architecture was disturbed by hepatotoxins intoxication which shows apoptotic hepatocytes & conjested central veins. Treatment of albino rats with the prepared herbal formulation exhibit regenerative changes like normal appearance of hepatic cells with nucleus, less vacuolization & fatty change supplements the protective effect of the formulation.
The results of this study demonstrated that the prepared herbal formulation shows significant hepatoprotective activity against paracetamol induced hepatotoxicity in albino rats. Hence the present study justified the traditional use of this herbal formulation in treating liver disorders.

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Lastupdate on : Mon, 16 Apr 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
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