Protective activity of picroliv on hepatic amoebiasis associated with carbon tetrachloride toxicity.
OBJECTIVE
Picroliv, isolated from the root and rhizome of Picrorhiza kurroa, is known to have significant hepatoprotective activity. Its effects against Entamoeba histolytica induced liver damage are not studied. This study aims to evaluate the hepatoprotective action of picroliv against the hepatotoxic changes induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4)) and E. histolytica infection in three animal models.


METHODS
Mastomys, gerbils and albino Druckray rats were used in this study. A total of 30 animals were used for each model and divided into five groups of six animals each. Group I consisted of normal animals. The rest received six doses of CCl(4) intraperitoneally. Group II served as hepatotoxic control. The remaining animals were infected intraperitoneally with E. histolytica trophozoites, of which group III was the hepatotoxic plus amoeba infected control. The remaining animals were divided into two groups, one received hepatoprotective agent picroliv and the other silymarin. All animals were sacrificed seven days post amoeba infection.


RESULTS
Increase in the enzyme levels induced by CCl(4) was further elevated after E. histolytica infection. Pinpoint abscesses were found to develop only in gerbils after E. histolytica infection. Picroliv was found to possess hepatoprotective activity against amoebic liver abscess.


CONCLUSIONS
Significant recovery obtained in serum enzyme levels in all animal models and against amoebic liver abscess in gerbils on treatment with picroliv indicated that picroliv possesses therapeutic activity against E. histolytica induced hepatic damage.
Singh
Madhulika
M
Division of Microbiology, Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow, India.
Tiwari
Vandana
V
Jain
Amita
A
Ghoshal
Sheela
S
D000818:Animals; D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride / Q000633:toxicity*; D002934:Cinnamates / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004748:Entamoeba histolytica; D006027:Glycosides / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D008101:Liver Abscess, Amebic / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000469:parasitology; D009115:Muridae; D008517:Phytotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D032261:Picrorhiza / Q000737:chemistry*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014641:Vanillic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents; D002934:Cinnamates; D006027:Glycosides; D010936:Plant Extracts; C057463:kutkin; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride; D014641:Vanillic Acid