title: Antioxidative burst and hepatoprotective effects of ethanol root extract of Hippocratea africana against paracetamol-induced liver injury.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hippocratea africana (Willd.) Loes. ex Engl. (Celastraceae) root is used traditionally as an antipoison or antidote to treat liver diseases.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate antioxidative burst and hepatoprotective potentials of H. africana against paracetamol-induced liver injury in rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Antioxidative burst activity of the extract (1-100 µg/ml) in whole blood, neutrophils and macrophages was investigated using a luminol/lucigenin-based chemiluminescence assay. The hepatoprotective effect of the extract (200-600 mg/kg) was evaluated by the assay of liver function parameters, antioxidant enzymes and histopathological studies of the liver. GC-MS analyses of hexane and dichloromethane fractions were also carried out.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The root extract/fractions exerted pronounced inhibition of oxidative burst activity in whole blood, neutrophils (intracellular and extracellular) and macrophages (3.04-99.70%). The administration of the root extract caused significant (p < 0.05-0.001) reduction of high levels of liver enzymes (AST, ALT and ALP), total cholesterol, direct and total bilirubin as well as elevation of serum levels of total protein, albumin and antioxidant enzymes (SOD, CAT, GPx and GSH). Histology of the liver sections of extract and silymarin-treated animals showed reductions in the pathological features compared to the paracetamol-treated animals. The chemical pathological changes were consistent with histopathological observations suggesting a marked hepatoprotective effect of the root extract of H. africana. The GC-MS analysis revealed some pharmacologically active compounds.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results show that the root extract of H. africana has hepatoprotective potential probably due to its antioxidative burst activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Uyo, Uyo, Nigeria. judeefiom@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Jude E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Okokon
authors.forename: Paul A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Nwafor
authors.forename: Ukeme
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Charles
authors.forename: Ashana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dar
authors.forename: M Iqbal
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Choudhary
mesh_terms: D000082:Acetaminophen / Q000633:toxicity; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism*; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D000431:Ethanol / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D031320:Hippocrateaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008163:Luminescent Measurements; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018517:Plant Roots; D020011:Protective Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D010936:Plant Extracts; D020011:Protective Agents; D000082:Acetaminophen; D000431:Ethanol