In-vivo Hepatoprotective and Antioxidant Activities of Sphaeranthus amaranthoides Burm.f. Against Anti-Tubercular Drugs Induced Hepatotoxicity in Rats

Aim: To evaluate the hepatoprotective and antioxidant activity of Sphaeranthus amaranthoides Burm.f. against isoniazid (INH) and rifampicin (RIF) induced hepatotoxicity in rats.

Study Design: Experimental study.

Place and Duration: Research lab, Department of Siddha Medicine, Tamil University, Thanjavur, India, between March 2018 and November 2019.

Methodology: Liver toxicity was induced by antitubercular drugs (Isoniazid; INH+Rifampicin; RIF) at a dose level of 50+100 mg/kg each, p.o for 15 days. Petroleum ether, Chloroform, Methanol, Aqueous extracts of Sphaeranthus amaranthoides Burm.f. (S. amaranthoides) (200 and 400 mg/kg bt.wt.) were administered orally once daily for 15 days. The hepatoprotective activity was assessed using various biochemical parameters SGOT, SGPT, ALP, bilirubin, total protein, albumin, total cholesterol, total bilirubin, direct bilirubin and LDH. The antioxidant activities such as the enzymatic activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT), and the level of lipidperoxidation as thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBA-RS) were measured in liver homogenates and histological examinations were carried out to assess hepatoprotective activity. For Statistical analysis, the values were subjected to one way analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Tukey multiple compare test. Results were considered statistically significant when P<0.05.

Results: The treatment with methanolic extract (400 mg/kg bt.wt.) of S. amaranthoides significantly prevented drug-induced increase in serum levels of liver enzymes (P<0.001). The antioxidant activity of a dose of 400 mg/kg of S. amaranthoides significantly prevented the decreases in the activity of enzymatic antioxidants (CAT & SOD) (P<0.01 and P<0.001) and inhibited the elevation of lipid peroxidation (TBA-RS) in the liver homogenate. Histopathology of liver tissue showed that S. amaranthoides attenuated the hepatocellular necrosis, regeneration and repair of cells toward normal.

Conclusion: The methanolic extract of S. amaranthoides showed significant hepatoprotectivity and antioxidant activity against INH + RIF Anti TB drugs.