title: Beneficial effect of Trichopus zeylanicus extract on mercuric chloride-induced hepatotoxicity in rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The present study aimed to determine the effect of Trichopus zeylanicus leaf extract (TZ Et) on mercuric chloride (HgCl2)-induced liver toxicity in rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Wistar albino male rats were divided into four groups. Group I was administered physiological saline as a vehicle control. Group II was administered HgCl2 (0.4 mg/kg body weight/day) intraperitoneally for 20 days. Groups III and IV were administered TZ Et orally (100 mg/kg body weight/day) for 20 days with or without intraperitoneal administration of HgCl2. Serum hepatic marker enzymes, enzymic and non-enzymic antioxidants, liver functional markers, lipid peroxidation, and liver histology were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The toxic effect of HgCl2 was indicated by the significantly (p<0.05) increased serum marker enzymes, liver functional markers, and lipid peroxidation. The activities of enzymic and non-enzymic antioxidants were significantly (p<0.05) decreased. TZ Et significantly (p<0.05) prevented these pathological alterations as observed by histology.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study concludes that TZ Et has the ability to alleviate the hepatotoxic effects caused by HgCl2 in rats.
authors: Department of Biology, The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC 27402-6170, USA. nalpybiochem@gmail.com
authors: Nallasamy
authors: N
authors: Palanisamy
authors: Selvam
authors: S
authors: Mohan Dass
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D019684:Magnoliopsida / Q000737:chemistry*; D008297:Male; D008627:Mercuric Chloride / Q000633:toxicity*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018515:Plant Leaves; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D010936:Plant Extracts; D008627:Mercuric Chloride