Hepatoprotective and Antioxidant Activities of Hepacare®, a Herbal Formulation Against Carbon Tetrachloride-Induced Liver Injury

I. O. Ishola; A. A. Akinyede; A. K. Robert; S. A. Omilabu

doi:10.1055/s-0034-1371829

Drug Research, Inhaltsverzeichnis

Drug Res (Stuttg) 2015; 65(1): 30-39
DOI: 10.1055/s-0034-1371829

Original Article

Hepatoprotective and Antioxidant Activities of Hepacare^®, a Herbal Formulation Against Carbon Tetrachloride-Induced Liver Injury

Autor*innen

I. O. Ishola

¹Department of Pharmacology, Therapeutics and Toxicology, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria
A. A. Akinyede

¹Department of Pharmacology, Therapeutics and Toxicology, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria
A. K. Robert

¹Department of Pharmacology, Therapeutics and Toxicology, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria
S. A. Omilabu

²Virology Unit, Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria

Abstract

Background:

Hepacare^® is a herbal formulation used to treat patients with sickle-cell anaemia complicated with jaundice, also recommended as a protective agent against liver damage due to chronic ingestion of alcohol.

Methods:

In vitro antioxidant properties of Hepacare^® was determined using 1, 1- diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH), total antioxidant capacity, reducing power ability, and nitric oxide assays. Hepatoprotective effect of Hepacare^® (50–400 mg/kg/day for 7 days, p.o.) was investigated in male Sprague Dawley rats against carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄ /olive oil, 1:1, 0.7 ml/kg, i.p.)-induced liver damage. At the end of the study, blood samples and liver tissue were assayed for biochemical and antioxidants parameters.

Results:

Hepacare produced concentration dependent inhibition of DPPH and nitric oxide activity with IC₅₀ of 48.50 and 55.00 µg/ml, respectively, it suppressed the absorbance of ABTS^.+ with total antioxidant capacity of 423.47±8.37 mg QUE/g. CCl₄ administration induced significant (P<0.001) elevation of serum aspartate transaminase (1.70 fold), alanine transaminase (1.60 fold), alkaline phosphatase (2.90 fold) and bilirubin (2.00 fold) in comparison to control. The increase in serum biomarker were dose-dependently reversed by Hepacare^® pretreatment. Moreover, CCl₄ pretreatment increased (P<0.001) malondialdehyde (MDA) (73.98%) and decreased (P<0.001) antioxidant enzymes level but Hepacare pretreatment produced dose-dependent attenuation of the increased MDA (3.84 fold) with enhancement of glutathione (3.08 fold), superoxide dismutase (2.08 fold), and catalase (3.14 folds) levels in comparison to CCl₄ treated group, similar to those of silymarin reference standard.

Conclusion:

Hepacare was beneficial in the prevention of CCl₄-induced hepatocellular injury, possibly by scavenging reactive free radicals, and boosting endogenous antioxidant systems.

Key words

antioxidant systems - DPPH - flavonoid - hepatotoxicity - liver tonic - oxidative stress - reducing power capacity - serum transaminases

Volltext

Referenzen

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