Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research

Original Research Article | OPEN ACCESS

Protective effect of Parthenium hysterophorus against carbon tetrachloride- and paracetamol-induced hepatotoxicity in rabbits

Muhammad Saleem¹, Arif-ullah Khan¹ , Humaira Naureen¹, Aslam Khan², Fozia Noreen³, Fawad Ali^1,4, Ahmed AlDarmahi²

¹Riphah Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Riphah International University, Islamabad, Pakistan; ²Basic Sciences Department, College of Sciences and Health Profession, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, King Abdulaziz Medical City, National Guard Health Affairs, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; ³Department of Pathology, Pakistan Ordinance Factories Hospital WahCantt, Rawalpindi; ⁴Department of Pharmacy, Kohat University of Science and Technology, Kohat, Pakistan.

For correspondence:- Arif-ullah Khan Email: arif.ullah@riphah.edu.pk Tel:+923207863222

Accepted: 19 February 2018 Published: 31 March 2018

Citation: Saleem M, Khan A, Naureen H, Khan A, Noreen F, Ali F, et al. Protective effect of Parthenium hysterophorus against carbon tetrachloride- and paracetamol-induced hepatotoxicity in rabbits. Trop J Pharm Res 2018; 17(3):467-473 doi: 10.4314/tjpr.v17i3.12

© 2018 The authors.
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Abstract

Purpose: To investigate the possible hepatoprotective potential of Parthenium hysterophorus crude extract (Ph.Cr) against carbon tetrachloride (CCL₄)- and paracetamol-induced hepatotoxicity in rabbits.

Methods: Twenty rabbits were divided into five groups of four rabbits each. Group 1 served as normal control and received normal saline (5 mL/kg). Group 2 received normal saline followed by CCL₄ (0.75 mL/kg p.o dose) after 1 h. Groups 3 and 4 received Ph.Cr at doses of 15 and 30 mg/kg po, respectively, for 7 days followed by one dose of CCL₄, 2 h after the last extract dose (0.75 mL/kg, sc). Group 5 received silymarin as reference standard at a dose of 100 mg/kg orally for 7 days followed by one dose of CCL₄ (0.75 mL/kg, sc), 2 h after the last drug dose. The effect of the extract on potassium (K⁺)-induced contractions in isolated rabbit jejenum was also evaluated. At the end of the study, the animals were sacrificed and their liver architecture examined microscopically.

Results: Pre-treatment of rabbits with Ph.Cr reduced ALT, ALP and TB levels (p < 0.05, p < 0.01, p < 0.001) dose dependently. Hepatoprotective data indicate that Ph.Cr markedly reduced CCL₄- and paracetamol-induced toxicity by preserving the histological architecture of the liver tissue at near normal. In isolated rabbit jejunum tissue, Ph.Cr relaxed high K⁺ (80 Mm)-induced contractions in a concentration-dependent (0.03 - 10 mg/mL) manner like that caused by silymarin.

Conclusion: In the light of the results obtained, Parthenium hysterophorous possesses hepatoprotective activity against CCL₄- and paracetamol-induced hepatic damage, possibly mediated via its antioxidant and Ca⁺⁺ antagonist mechanisms

Keywords: Parthenium hysterophorus, Toxins, Hepatoprotection, Ca++ antagonist, Silymarin