Objective: Acetaminophen (APAP) is a common analgesic associated with high rates of hepatotoxicity mainly due to severe
oxidative stress thus, antioxidants are considered as potential therapeutics in APAP-induced hepatotoxicity. Material and Methods: 42 Male Wistar rats randomly divided into 7 groups: 1-negative control (normal saline/2ml/kg/day p.o. for 14 days); 2-APAP (APAP/2g/kg p.o.); 3-positive control (ASHE/400mg/kg/day p.o.) and four ASHE treatment groups received (50, 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg/day).positive control as well as ASHE treatment groups pretreated with ASHE for 14 days. On the day 14th ASHE treatment and APAP groups received 2 g/Kg APAP. Results: APAP intoxication significantly increased serum levels of ALT, AST, LDH, and ALP and in addition to LPO and NO in liver tissue associated with a significant decrease in TAC, TTM and glutathione levels. ASHE Treatment significantly decreased ALT, AST, ALP, and LDH at all doses As well as LPO and NO levels at the doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg. TAC and TTM were significantly increased after ASHE administration at all doses while, a significant increase in glutathione was only observed with 200 mg/kg of ASHE. Discussion: In the current study, APAP can induce liver injury and increase levels of ALT, AST, ALP, LDH, total and direct bilirubin which is in line with the other reports. In addition, increased levels of ALP may also indicate biliary tract injury and/or increased biliary pressure. For assessment of the role of
oxidative stress in APAP hepatotoxicity, we measured some
oxidative stress indicators such as LPO, NO (as oxidative biomarkers) and thiol groups, TAC and GSH (as
antioxidant indices) in liver tissue. Overall, lipid peroxidation is considered an index of oxidative degradation of lipids that indicates increases in reactive radicals in hepatic tissue [31-33]. In addition, massive levels of NO in liver tissue following APAP toxicity indicates role of the nitrosative stress pathway in APAP-induced hepatotoxicity.
Allium saralicum hydro-alcoholic extract has shown to contain
antioxidant components such as flavonoids, saponins and terpenoides. Conclusion: Our results showed that ASHE significantly reduced APAP induced hepatotoxicity.