protective effect of melatonin, Silymarin and their combination in experimental induced acute hepatotoxicity

ABSTRACT

The present study aimed to evaluate the hepatoprotective and curative effects of melatonin, silymarin and their combination on the carbon tetrachloride [CCI 4] induced hepatotoxicity. Different groups of rats received either melatonin [1 mg/kg], silymarin [22 mg/kg] or their combination once daily oral dose for successive ten days before exposure to CCI 4 then blood was obtained from all rats for biochemical tests 72 h later. In other groups, melatonin, silymarin and their combination were given also after treating the rat with CCI 4 to evaluate their effect on the course of established hepatic injury. Drugs were given once daily oral dose for ten days on the next day after CCI 4 treatment, in addition in further groups the effect of melatonin, silymarin or their combination on the normal rats [not treated with CCI 4] were examined, drug were given once daily oral dose for 10 days. When melatonin, silymarin and their combination were given before exposure to CCI 4 decrease in serum levels of ALT, AST, ALP was observed compared with Cd4 treated rats. Silymarin being most effective in this respect. In comparison, more marked reduction of serum enzyme level was observed in rats that received silymarin, melatonin and their combination after exposure to CCI 4, silymarin proved to be more effective than melatonin, while the combination did not provide additional benefit