title: Protective effect of Cassia fistula Linn. on diethylnitrosamine induced hepatocellular damage and oxidative stress in ethanol pretreated rats.
abstract: Diethylnitrosamine (DEN), found in many commonly consumed foods, is widely reported to induce cancer in animals and humans. The aim of the present study was to investigate the hepatoprotective and antioxidant activities of the leaf extract of the medicinal plant Cassia fistula Linn. against diethylnitrosamine induced liver injury in ethanol pretreated rats. Albino Wistar rats, pretreated with ethanol for 15 days, were administered a single dose of DEN. Thirty days after DEN administration, hepatotocellular damage was observed histologically, along with elevated levels of serum AST, ALT, ALP, LDH, &#947;-GT and bilirubin and a simultaneous fall in the levels of the marker enzymes in the liver tissue. Liver oxidative stress was confirmed by elevated levels of lipid peroxidation (LPO) and a decrease in enzymic and non-enzymic antioxidants activities. Oral administration of the ethanolic leaf extract (ELE) of Cassia fistula for 30 days to ethanol + DEN treated rats significantly improved the above alterations in the markers of hepatotoxicity and oxidative stress, resulting in the reversal of most of the parameters studied and were comparable to the standard hepatoprotective drug silymarin.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Environmental Toxicology, Dr ALM PG Institute of Basic Medical Science, University of Madras, Taramani, Chennai 600113, India.
authors.forename: Kannampalli
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pradeep
authors.forename: Chandrasekaran Victor
authors.initials: CV
authors.lastname: Raj Mohan
authors.forename: Kupannan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gobianand
authors.forename: Sivanesan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Karthikeyan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants; D002366:Cassia / Q000737:chemistry*; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D004052:Diethylnitrosamine / Q000633:toxicity*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000633:toxicity; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D010936:Plant Extracts; D004052:Diethylnitrosamine; D000431:Ethanol