title: Lupeol ameliorates aflatoxin B1-induced peroxidative hepatic damage in rats.
abstract: Aflatoxins are potent hepatotoxic and hepatocarcinogenic agents. Reactive oxygen species and consequent peroxidative damage caused by aflatoxin are considered to be the main mechanisms leading to hepatotoxicity. The present investigation aims at assessing the hepatoprotective effect of lupeol, a pentacyclic triterpene isolated from the stem bark of Crataeva nurvala, on aflatoxin B(1) (AFB(1))-induced hepatotoxicity in a rat model. The hepatoprotection of lupeol is compared with silymarin, a well known standard hepatoprotectant. Lactate dehydrogenase, alkaline phosphatase, alanine and aspartate aminotransferases were found to be significantly increased in the serum and decreased in the liver of AFB(1) administered (1 mg/kg body mass, orally) rats, suggesting hepatic damage. Marked increase in the lipid peroxide levels and a concomitant decrease in the enzymic (superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and glutathione-S-transferase) and nonenzymic (reduced glutathione, vitamin C and vitamin E) antioxidants in the hepatic tissue were observed in AFB(1) administered rats. Pretreatment with lupeol (100 mg/kg body mass, orally) and silymarin (100 mg/kg body mass, orally) for 7 days reverted the condition to near normalcy. Hepatoprotection by lupeol is further substantiated by the normal histologic findings as against degenerative changes in the AFB(1) administered rats. The results of this study indicate that lupeol is a potent hepatoprotectant as silymarin.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Chennai, 600 007, India.
authors.forename: S P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Preetha
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kanniappan
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Selvakumar
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nagaraj
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Varalakshmi
mesh_terms: D016604:Aflatoxin B1 / Q000633:toxicity*; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism; D005982:Glutathione Transferase / Q000378:metabolism; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D010088:Oxidoreductases / Q000378:metabolism; D053978:Pentacyclic Triterpenes; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012838:Silymarin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014315:Triterpenes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000378:metabolism; D000094042:Lupanes
chemical_list: D016604:Aflatoxin B1; D000975:Antioxidants; D001205:Ascorbic Acid; D005978:Glutathione; D005982:Glutathione Transferase; D010088:Oxidoreductases; D053978:Pentacyclic Triterpenes; D012838:Silymarin; D014315:Triterpenes; D014810:Vitamin E; C010480:lupeol; D000094042:Lupanes