RESUMEN
This study evaluates the effect of DDB on normal and chemically-injured liver. When given to normal rats DDB had no significant effect on liver enzymes, but in chemically-injured rats there was a significant decrease in the elevated levels of liver enzymes. DDB produced a significant increase in reduced glutathione, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase, and a significant decrease in malondialdehyde and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase in both normal and chemically-injured liver. The histopathology examinations showed a slight improvement with DDB administration. DDB has a beneficial effect on liver enzymes and possesses significant antioxidant properties in normal and chemically-injured liver, and may therefore be clinically useful in treating chronic viral hepatitis B in humans