title: Hepatoprotective Effect of Pretreatment with Thymus vulgaris Essential Oil in Experimental Model of Acetaminophen-Induced Injury.
abstract: Acute liver damage caused by acetaminophen overdose is a significant clinical problem and could benefit from new therapeutic strategies. Objective. This study investigated the hepatoprotective effect of Thymus vulgaris essential oil (TEO), which is used popularly for various beneficial effects, such as its antiseptic, carminative, and antimicrobial effects. The hepatoprotective activity of TEO was determined by assessing serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) in mice. Their livers were then used to determine myeloperoxidase (MPO) enzyme activity and subjected to histological analysis. In vitro antioxidant activity was evaluated by assessing the free radical 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH•)-scavenging effects of TEO and TEO-induced lipid peroxidation. TEO reduced the levels of the serum marker enzymes AST, ALT, and ALP and MPO activity. The histopathological analysis indicated that TEO prevented acetaminophen-induced necrosis. The essential oil also exhibited antioxidant activity, reflected by its DPPH radical-scavenging effects and in the lipid peroxidation assay. These results suggest that TEO has hepatoprotective effects on acetaminophen-induced hepatic damage in mice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, State University of Maringá, 87020-900 Maringá, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Renata
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Grespan
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, State University of Maringá, 87020-900 Maringá, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rafael Pazinatto
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Aguiar
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, State University of Maringá, 87020-900 Maringá, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Frederico Nunes
authors.initials: FN
authors.lastname: Giubilei
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, State University of Maringá, 87020-900 Maringá, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rafael Rocco
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Fuso
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, State University of Maringá, 87020-900 Maringá, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marcio José
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Damião
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, State University of Maringá, 87020-900 Maringá, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Expedito Leite
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Analysis, State University of Maringá, 87020-900 Maringá, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Jane Graton
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Mikcha
authors.affiliation: Department of Morphophysiology Sciences, State University of Maringá, 87020-900 Maringá, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Luzmarina
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hernandes
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, State University of Maringá, 87020-900 Maringá, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ciomar
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bersani Amado
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, State University of Maringá, 87020-900 Maringá, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Roberto Kenji Nakamura
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Cuman