Efficacy of some herbal preparations as hepatoprotective agents

In folk medicine, there are many herbal preparations used for their hepatoprotective activities. One of the most common recipes consists of equal parts [w/w] of decoction of [10% concentration]: Peumus boldus [leaves], Cichorium intybus [root] and Nigella sativa [seed] [Recipe 1]. Glycyrrhiza labell rhizome [root] replaced Cichorium intybus in [Recipe 2] or added to the Recipe 2 to form [Recipe 3]. Three groups of normal albino rats were orally administered 1.5 ml / 100 g of Recipe 1 [group 1], Recipe 2 [group 2] or Recipe 3 [group3] and the control group [group 4] was given 1.5 ml/ 100 g distilled water daily for 30 successive days. Results for normal groups of rats revealed that Recipe 1, Recipe 2 and Recipe 3 decreased plasma gamma-glutamyl transferase [GGT]: by -6.1, -26.7, -31.5%; ALT: by-3.8,-13.2, 17.6%; AST: by-5.9,-6.8-21.5%; triglycerides: by 1.8, 0, -13%; cholesterol: by -2.4, -1.2, -1.9% and, increased sleeping time: by 0.5, 1.4 and -0.9%, respectively, vs. control values. Second set of experiments, three groups of carbon tetrachloride-hepatic damaged rats were given the three recipes in the same above mentioned oral doses 2 weeks before carbon tetrachloride and continued for another 2 weeks after induction of the hepatic damage. A fourth group received CC14 for 4 weeks and served as control. The results indicated that there were significant decreases in GGT: [-70, -74.5, -82.0%]; ALT: [-30.1, -36.8, - 49.0%]; AST: [-9.9, -33.3, -43.8%]; triglycerides: [-11.8, -10.5, -17.0%]; cholesterol: [-17.4, -16.4, -24.4%] and sleeping time: [-24.0, -25.1, -37.9%], respectively, vs. carbon tetrachloride-hepatic damaged rats. Histopatholgical study revealed that the three recipes exhibited greater hepatoprotective effects in CCl[4]-induced liver injury by preventing development of hepatic lesions, including liver centrilobular inflammation, cell necrosis, fatty change, ballooning degeneration as compared to the 4[th] control group CCl[4]- intoxication. Also there was an improvement of hepatocytes- DNA contents. The modified recipe 3 was found to be more potent than recipe 1 or 2

Screening of some pharmacological properties of Origanum majorana growing in Egypt

In the present study, hydroalcoholic extract of the aerial parts of Origanum majorana was prepared. Two oral dose levels [100 and 200 mg/Kg] were evaluated for the analgesic activity [using the hot plate test], the anti-inflammatory effect [using carrageenan-induced paw oedema test] and the antipyretic activity [on yeast-induced hyperthermia] in albino rats. Results revealed that in the hot plate test, O. majorana extract exerted a highly significant analgesic effect in a dose dependant manner similar to that obtained by paracetamol. The extract also reduced paw-oedema caused by carrageenan, this result was more obvious in rats treated with 200 mg/Kg. The tested extract in the two doses used exerted an antipyretic effect after 30 min of administration. More interesting results were observed in the group treated with 200 mg/Kg, in which their temperature was reduced significantly more than in paracetamol-treated group during 1 -2 hr post-drug administration. O. majorana extract also exerted a hepatoprotective effect in carbon tetrachloride liver -damaged rats. Both doses [100 and 200 mg /Kg] significantly reduced the elevated values of liver function tests [GGT, ALT and AST], triglycerides [TGs], and cholesterol. Kidney function tests [creatinine and urea] were also decreased significantly. O. majorana had an immuno-stimulating property, as it increased IgG levels in normal and liver damaged rats. It is concluded that Origanum majorana had many pharmacological activities including a novel immunostimulant effect, which warrants further detailed investigations

Protective effect of l-cysteine on ochratoxicosis in rats

Ochratoxin A [OA] is a toxic metabolite produced by Aspergillus ochraceus. OA is a potent agent causing kidney and liver damage, carcinogen, mutagen, immunosuppressive and teratogen. L-Cysteine [Cys] plays and important role in natural detoxification mechanisms by several ways inside the body; beside its effect and the related compounds [-SH group] could inhibit the toxin production by such fungi in vitro studies. In the present work, we studied the possible protective role of Cys against OA in rats. In a 7 days experiment, intraperitoneal [I.P] injection of Cys [300 mg/kg.b.wt.] has proven useful against OA toxicity [1/2] LD50] in rats. In more prolonged experiment, Cys, OA, or Cys prior OA with 15 min. [Cys+OA] were I.P injected for 30 successive days. Clinical symptoms, mortality rate, post mortum findings, weight gain, liver and kidney weights, hemograme, liver and kidney function tests were monitored weekly during the experimental time. No mortalities were detected in the groups treated with Cys+OA. Rats treated with OA were decreased significantly in body weight gain, liver and kidney weight than other treated groups. OA caused anaemia, leucopenia, neutrophilia, evaluation of ALT, AST and AP activities, mild hyperglycemia hypoproteinaemia and elevation of urea and creatinine values. Cys+OA treatment minimized the toxic effect of OA on liver and kidney as evidenced by the tested parameters. Administration of Cys only resulted in a slight deviations than normal expecially in RBC and lymphocytic count, ALT activity and total proteins