BUCHHOLZIA CORIACEA TERPENOID-RICH SEED EXTRACT POSSESSES ANTIOXIDANT PROPERTIES AND PROTECTS AGAINST ACETAMINOPHEN-INDUCED LIVER DAMAGE IN ALBINO RATS

Fakoya, Akindele*

Acetaminophen is a safe, effective analgesic and antipyretic drug which has been discovered to induce hepatotoxicity in case of overdose. B. coriacea is a medicinal plant known to have good antihelmintic, antibacterial, antimicrobial, hypoglycemic and antimalarial effects. In this study, terpenoid-rich extract of air-dried seed of B. coriacea was investigated for its potential ameliorative effect on acetaminophen-induced toxicity in the liver of rats using N-acetyl cysteine as a standard drug. In the course of this work, toxicity was induced in the liver of wistar rats at 500 mg/kg b.w of acetaminophen to check for the protective effects of terpenoid-rich seed extract of B. coriacea at different doses. Group 1 served as basal control which received only normal diet, group 2 received 500 mg/kg b.w of acetaminophen daily. Groups 3, 4 and 5 received 500 mg/kg b.w of acetaminophen each followed by 30, 90 and 210 mg/kg b.w of terpenoid-rich seed extract respectively. Groups 6 and 7 each received 500 mg/kg b.w of acetaminophen followed by 70 and 150 mg/kg b.w of N-acetyl cysteine respectively. Groups 8, 9 and 10 received only 30, 90 and 210 mg/kg b.w of terpenoid-rich seed extract once daily. These treatments were given orally for three(3) days. The rats were sacrificed, liver was excised, homogenized and the activity of glutathione peroxidase (GPX), glutathione consumed (GSH), malondialdehyde (MDA) level and total protein were determined. The group administered acetaminophen only showed decrease in GPX activity, indicating that there was depletion in glutathione biomolecule which lead to decrease in the activity of the glutathione enzyme. However, the groups administered with terpenoid-rich seed extract of B. coriacea elicited increased in the GPX activity. There was increase in total protein level in acetaminophen administered group only due to response caused by acetaminophen. However, the groups administered terpenoid-rich seed extract showed decrease in total protein level compared to the acetaminophen administered group. Acute dose of acetaminophen (500 mg/kg b.w.) significantly elevated the liver MDA level. The results of this study showed that the terpenoid-rich seed extract of B. coriacea elicited antioxidant effects against liver damage induced by acetaminophen, and could therefore serve as a potent drug in the management and treatment of acetaminophen hepatotoxicity.