The potential hepatoprotective activity of Allium paniculatum and Capparis spinosa on thioacetamide induced hepatotoxicity in rats

The aim of this study was to investigate hepatoprotective effect of A. paniculatum and C. spinosa in experimental liver damage induced by thioacetamide (TAA) in rats. Rats of the 1^st (normal control) and 2^nd (TAA-intoxicated control) groups received the vehicle (1 mL/kg). Animals of the 3^rd group (reference) received silymarin (50 mg/kg). The 4^th and 5^th groups received A. paniculatum extract (200 and 400 mg/kg, respectively). The 6^th and 7^th groups were treated with C. spinosa extract (200 and 400 mg/kg, respectively). Rats were administered the vehicle, silymarin or extracts orally for 21 days and simultaneously administered TAA (50 mg/kg, s.c.) one h after the respective assigned treatments every 72h. SC injection of TAA significantly elevated serum activities of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and γ-glutamyl transferase (γ-GT), compared to normal controls. In the liver, significantly elevated level of malondialdehyde (MDA), lowered levels of reduced glutathione (GSH), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were observed following TAA injection. Both extracts displayed hepatoprotective effect in a dose dependent manner as evident by reduced levels of serum ALT, AST, ALP, γ-GT and hepatic MDA concentration, as well as higher CAT, GPx, SOD activities and GSH concentration compared to TAA-intoxicated controls. The histopathological analysis suggested that both extracts obviously alleviated the degree of liver damage induced by TAA. In conclusion, A. paniculatum and C. spinosa extracts attenuate hepatotoxicity induced by TAA.

Keywords: Allium paniculatum, Capparis spinosa, hepatoprotective activity, thioacetamide, silymarin.