Hepatoprotective properties of oleanolic and ursolic acids in antitubercular drug-induced liver damage

ABSTRACT

Objective To estimate to what extent the mixture of ursolic acid and oleanolic acid, in addition to the antitubercular standard regime, affects the hepatotoxicity profile. Methods Liver injury was induced in male BALB/c mice by administering, per os and daily for 11 weeks, a combination of anti-Tubercular (anti-TB) agents Rifampicin (10 mg/kg), Isoniazid (10 mg/kg), and Pyrazinamide (30 mg/kg). The ursolic acid and oleanolic acid mixture at doses of 100 or 200 μg/mouse/day was subcutaneously injected throughout the entire study period (11 weeks). Biochemical and hematological analysis was supplemented by liver histological examination. Results Animals treated with the mixture of triterpenic acids exhibited significantly decreased aspartate transaminase and alanine aminotransferase levels and amelioration of the histopathological alterations produced by the anti-TB drugs. Conclusions The triterpene mixture was able to prevent the steatosis induced by the anti-TB drugs.