title: Protective Effects of Tinospora cordifolia on Hepatic and Gastrointestinal Toxicity Induced by Chronic and Moderate Alcoholism.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Heavy alcohol intake depletes the plasma vitamins due to hepatotoxicity and decreased intestinal absorption. However, moderate alcohol intake is often thought to be healthy. Therefore, effects of chronic moderate alcohol intake on liver and intestine were studied using urinary vitamin levels. Furthermore, effects of Tinospora cordifolia water extract (TCE) (hepatoprotective) on vitamin excretion and intestinal absorption were also studied.
  
  
  METHODS
  In the study, asymptomatic moderate alcoholics (n = 12) without chronic liver disease and healthy volunteers (n = 14) of mean age 39 ± 2.2 (mean ± SD) were selected and divided into three groups. TCE treatment was performed for 14 days. The blood and urine samples were collected on Day 0 and 14 after treatment with TCE and analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In alcoholics samples, a significant increase in the levels of gamma-glutamyl transferase, aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase, Triglyceride, Cholesterol, HDL and LDL (P < 0.05) was observed but their level get downregulated after TCE intervention. Multivariate analysis of metabolites without missing values showed an increased excretion of 7-dehydrocholesterol, orotic acid, pyridoxine, lipoamide and niacin and TCE intervention depleted their levels (P < 0.05). In contrast, excretion of biotin, xanthine, vitamin D2 and 2-O-p-coumaroyltartronic acid (CA, an internal marker of intestinal absorption) were observed to be decreased in alcoholic samples; however, TCE intervention restored the CA and biotin levels. Vitamin metabolism biomarkers, i.e. homocysteine and xanthurenic acid, were also normalized after TCE intervention.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Overall data depict that moderate alcohol intake is also hepatotoxic and decreases intestinal absorption. However, TCE treatment effectively increased the intestinal absorption and retaining power of liver that regulated alcohol-induced multivitamin deficiency.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak, Haryana 124001, India.
authors.forename: Bhawana
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak, Haryana 124001, India rajeshdabur@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Rajesh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dabur
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000378:metabolism*; D001710:Biotin / Q000378:metabolism; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004872:Ergocalciferols / Q000378:metabolism; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007408:Intestinal Absorption / Q000187:drug effects*; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013646:Tartronates / Q000378:metabolism; D031610:Tinospora; D014815:Vitamins / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000652:urine; D019820:Xanthine / Q000378:metabolism; D014977:Xanthurenates / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004872:Ergocalciferols; D010936:Plant Extracts; D013646:Tartronates; D014815:Vitamins; D014977:Xanthurenates; D006710:Homocysteine; D019820:Xanthine; C032973:tartronic acid; C028330:xanthurenic acid; D001710:Biotin