title: Effect of homopterocarpin, an isoflavonoid from Pterocarpus erinaceus, on indices of liver injury and oxidative stress in acetaminophen-provoked hepatotoxicity.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Novel hepatoprotectives are needed to address the increasing cases of liver problems worldwide. Pterocarpus erinaceus Poir (Fabaceae) ethanol stem bark extract (PE) and its constituent flavonoid, homopterocarpin (HP), were investigated for their protective property in acetaminophen-induced oxidative stress and liver damage.
  
  
  METHODS
  Adult male albino rats were divided into nine groups. Seven groups were pretreated with PE (50-, 100-, and 150 mg/kg), HP (25-, 50-, and 75 mg/kg) or silymarin (25 mg/kg), respectively, once daily for 5 consecutive days and then administered acetaminophen (2 g/kg) on the 5th day. The control and acetaminophen-intoxicated groups received normal saline throughout the experimental period, with the latter group additionally receiving 2 g/kg acetaminophen on the 5th day. Administrations were performed po.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the acetaminophen-intoxicated group, there were significant increases (p<0.05) in serum activities of alanine aminotransferase (31.72±3.3 vs. 22.1±1.2 U/I), aspartate aminotransferase (185.1±10.1 vs. 103.83±13.3 U/I), bilirubin level and hepatic malondialdehyde (2.32±0.3 vs. 1.42±0.1 units/mg protein), accompanied with significant decreases (p<0.05) in hepatic reduced glutathione level (0.10±0.01 vs. 0.23±0.03 units/mg protein) and glutathione peroxidase activity (2.51±0.2 vs. 3.25±0.2 μmol H2O2 consumed/min/mg protein) compared with the control.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PE and HP ameliorated most of the observed biochemical alterations with HP appearing to show more potency. The results suggest that the flavonoid, homopterocarpin contributes to the hepatoprotective and antioxidant potentials of P. erinaceus extract.
authors: Afolabi C
authors: AC
authors: Akinmoladun
authors: M Tolulope
authors: MT
authors: Olaleye
authors: Kayode
authors: K
authors: Komolafe
authors: Abayomi O
authors: AO
authors: Adetuyi
authors: Afolabi A
authors: AA
authors: Akindahunsi
mesh_terms: D000082:Acetaminophen / Q000633:toxicity*; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D001572:Benzofurans / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001578:Benzopyrans / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D035721:Pterocarpus / Q000737:chemistry*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D001572:Benzofurans; D001578:Benzopyrans; D010936:Plant Extracts; C514760:homopterocarpin; D000082:Acetaminophen; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase