ABSTRACT
Paracetamol, in toxic doses is associated with extensive liver damage. This study was undertaken to investigate the hepatoprotective effect of cinnamon bark oil [CBO] and nigella sativa oil [NSO] in comparison to N- acetyl cysteine [NAC] in rats treated with toxic doses of Paracetamol [PCM]. The study included 6 groups, each group consists of 6 rats: control group received distilled water orally. Rats treated with toxic dose of PCM [400 mg/kg] three groups received NAC [800 mg/kg], CEO [300 mg/kg] and NSO [288 ml/kg] as antidotes 2 hours after PCM intoxication. The last group received CEO 8 hours post PCM intoxication Twenty-four hours after treatment the rats were sacrificed and blood was collected. The 3 antidotes decreased the activity of hepatic enzymes [AST and ALT] and billirubin compared to the PCM treated rats [P < 0.001]. Liver architecture showed improvement in the antidote treated groups compared to the PCM treated rats. The antidotes enhanced the elevation of the antioxidants [Glutathione [GSH], GSH-Peroxidase GSH-Reductase and Superoxide dismutase [SOD]] compared to their levels in PCM treated rats [P <0.001]. It is concluded that CBO either given early or late and NSO have hepatoprotective effect as well as that of NAC