Hepatoprotective activity of methanol extract of Amaranthus caudatus Linn. against paracetamol-induced hepatic injury in rats.

Objective: Methanol extract of whole plant of Amaranthus caudatus (MEAC) was screened for hepatoprotective potency against paracetamol (PCM)-induced liver damage in Wistar rats.

Methods: Rats of five groups were given sodium carboxy methyl cellulose, PCM, MEAC (200 and 400 mg/kg, respectively) plus PCM, and silymarin plus PCM, respectively. Fourteen days after administration, blood samples were collected for biochemical estimation, then animals were sacrificed and liver samples were collected, weighed and subjected for histopathological studies. Liver marker enzymes such as serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and serum albumin (ALB), total protein (TP), total bilirubin (TB) and direct bilirubin (DB) levels and the markers for oxidative defense namely malondialdehyde (MDA), reduced glutathione (GSH), total thiols (TT) and catalase (CAT) were measured.

Results: MEAC at 200 and 400 mg/kg significantly normalized the PCM-induced biochemical changes compared with PCM-treated group (P<0.01); increased ALT, AST, TB and DB levels and decreased serum ALB were significantly reversed by the MEAC treatment (200 and 400 mg/kg). Treatment with MEAC (200 and 400 mg/kg) significantly prevented the rise of MDA and TP levels (P<0.01), and prevented the reduction of GSH, CAT and TT levels significantly compared with PCM-treated group (P<0.01). Histopathological examination of the liver sections also proved the hepatoprotective activity of MEAC.

Conclusion: MEAC shows significant hepatoprotective activity against PCM-induced liver damage in rats. This finding supports the use of the plant in ethnomedicine for the treatment of liver diseases.