protective effect of glycyrrhiza glabra [liquorice] on chronic toxicity with monochloroacetic acid [MCAA]: a histopathological and biochemical study in Albino rats

ABSTRACT

This study was done on 90 adult male albino rats divided into 2 main groups. One of them was given monochlorocaetic acid [MCAA] with different doses and the second was given also MCAA in the same doses beside liquorice extract 5 days/week for 12 weeks. This study showed a dose dependent decrease in body weight, activity and food consumption in group I. While group II showed a significant improvement in these variables beside decrease in the mortality rate. It was found that there was no significant pathological changes except in the heart which showed degenerative and inflammatory myopathic changes with concomitant increase in asparate aminotransferase [AST] and alkaline phosphatase [ALP]. Although there were no significant pathological changes in liver and kidney. There was a significant disturbance in their flunctions especially with higher doses of MCAA indicated by significant elevation of alanine aminotransferase [ALT], AST urea and creatinine serum levels. These effects may be partially attributed to the free radical production, which was significantly increased in this study, and partially due to heart failure. Administration of liquorice concomitantly with MCAA significantly improved cardiac, hepatic and renal performance. These changes were evidenced by decreased cardiac involvement and shift of enzymatic elevation to higher doses of the toxin in group II. This study offers an evidence for the protective effect of liquorice against MCAA [which is widely used as a herbicide and also in industry] through its free radical trapping activity and probably through other mechanisms needing further researches to be proved