title: Protective effects of silymarin against acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity in mice.
abstract: This study was designed to estimate protective effects of silymarin on acetaminophen (N-acetyl-p-aminophenol, paracetamol; APAP)-induced hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity in mice. Treatment of mice with overdose of APAP resulted in the elevation of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and serum creatinine (SCr) levels in serum, liver, and kidney nitric oxide (NO) levels and significant histological changes including decreased body weight, swelling of hepatocytes, cell infiltration, dilatation and congestion, necrosis and apoptosis in liver, and dilatation of Bowman's capsular space and glomerular capillaries, pale-stained tubules epithelium, cell infiltration, and apoptosis in kidney. Posttreatment with silymarin 1 h after APAP injection for 7 days, however, significantly normalized the body weight, histological damage, serum ALT, AST, BUN, SCr, and tissue NO levels. Our observation suggested that silymarin ameliorated the toxic effects of APAP-induced hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity in mice. The protective role of silymarin against APAP-induced damages might result from its antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Eskisehir Osmangazi University, Eskisehir, Turkey ezgi.bektur@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Nuriye Ezgi
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Bektur
authors.affiliation: Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Eskisehir Osmangazi University, Eskisehir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Erhan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sahin
authors.affiliation: Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Eskisehir Osmangazi University, Eskisehir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Cengiz
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Baycu
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Eskisehir Osmangazi University, Eskisehir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Gonul
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Unver
mesh_terms: D000082:Acetaminophen / Q000633:toxicity*; D058186:Acute Kidney Injury / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D007668:Kidney / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D007677:Kidney Function Tests; D008099:Liver / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D012838:Silymarin / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D012838:Silymarin; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D000082:Acetaminophen
keywords: Acetaminophen; hepatotoxicity; kidney toxicity; nitric oxide; silymarin