RESUMO
Previous studies demonstrated the hepatotoxicity of thioacetamide [TAA] in rats. The present study is a trial to decline TAA-hepatotoxicity by using the roots of herbal medicinal plant [Panax ginseng] pre-treatment . Low dose of TAA [50-mg/kg b.wt] was chosen to induce hepatoxicity in male rats previously treated with ginseng for 10 consecutive days. The tested parameters were studied after 24, 48 and 72 hours post TAA intoxication. Fluctuatious of serum glucose were noticed in TAA intoxicated rats increased after 24 h [+ 9.31%], 48h. [+ 7.11%], followed by moderate improvement after 72 h. [+5.39%] when compared with control group. Ginseng pretreatment enhanced these changes towards the normal values. Serum and liver enzyme activities [AST, AIT, ALP and ? GT] increased in TAA intoxicated rats which peaked after 48 h, and began to decrease after 72h. Pretreatment with ginseng improved enzyme activities to some extent. Reduced glutathione [GSH] as well as antioxidant enzyme glutathione reductase [GSH-R] activity while lipid peroxidation [LPO] increased in TAA intoxicated rats and enhanced by pretreatment with ginseng. This results suggest that pretreatment with ginseng could improve the detoxifying activity of the liver rats with TAA-induced acute hepatotoxicity