title: Lycium barbarum extract provides effective protection against paracetamol-induced acute hepatotoxicity in rats.
abstract: The aim of the present study was to investigate the hepatoprotective and antioxidant effects of Lycium barbarum (LB) extract against paracetamol-induced acute oxidative stress and hepatotoxicity in rats. The subjects were divided into 6 groups of 8 rats each. The rats in the LB group were administered a dose of 100 mg/kg LB extract dissolved in saline via the intraperitoneal route for 7 days. Subsequently, after last dose of LB, PCT was given in a single dose of 1 g/kg diluted in saline via the oral route. Twenty-four hours later, blood samples were drawn from all of the subjects for serum Aspartate aminotransferase (AST), Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), Total antioxidant status (TAS) and Total oxidant status (TOS) tests, and liver tissue samples were obtained for histopathological evaluation. The mean TAS level of the group that was subjected to PCT intoxication was significantly lower than those of the other groups. Additionally, the mean TOS, Oxidative stress index (OSI), ALT and AST values were significantly higher in this group. Though the mean TAS level in the PCT + LB group was significantly higher than that of the PCT group, the TOS, OSI, ALT, and AST levels were significantly lower. When the PCT + LB group and the PCT only group were compared in terms of liver damage during the histopathological evaluation, a statistically significant difference was observed in Grade I and Grade III damage (P=0.013 and P=0.038, respectively). We conclude that Lycium barbarum extract leads to a significant improvement in PCT-induced acute hepatotoxicity in terms of the histopathological results, serum oxidative stress parameters, and serum liver function marker enzymes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Dicle University Medical Faculty Diyarbakır, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ercan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gündüz
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Dicle University Medical Faculty Diyarbakır, Turkey.
authors.forename: Recep
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dursun
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Dicle University Medical Faculty Diyarbakır, Turkey.
authors.forename: Yılmaz
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zengin
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Dicle University Medical Faculty Diyarbakır, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: İçer
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Dicle University Medical Faculty Diyarbakır, Turkey.
authors.forename: Hasan Mansur
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Durgun
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Kafkas University Veterinary Faculty Diyarbakır, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ayşe
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kanıcı
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Dicle University Medical Faculty Diyarbakır, Turkey.
authors.forename: İbrahim
authors.initials: İ
authors.lastname: Kaplan
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Dicle University Medical Faculty Diyarbakır, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ulaş
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Alabalık
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Dicle University Medical Faculty Diyarbakır, Turkey.
authors.forename: Hüseyin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gürbüz
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Dicle University Medical Faculty Diyarbakır, Turkey.
authors.forename: Cahfer
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Güloğlu
keywords: Lycium barbarum; hepatic damage; paracetamol intoxication