The protective effect of curcumin on paracetamol-induced liverdamage in adult male rabbits: biochemical and histologicalstudies

IntroductionParacetamol is a widely used nonsteroidal analgesic that is also used as anantipyretic drug, but at high dose it leads to undesirable side effects, such ashepatotoxicity. Curcumin has been proposed as an antioxidant because it reducesoxidative stress.AimThis work aimed to evaluate the possible protective effect of curcumin onparacetamol-induced liver damage.Materials and methodsThirty adult male rabbits were divided into five equal groups. Group I served as thecontrol group. Group II received curcumin at 100 mg/kg. Group III was treatedwith paracetamol at 500 mg/kg. Group IV received paracetamol at 500 mg/kg andcurcumin at 50 mg/kg. Group V received paracetamol at 500 mg/kg and curcuminat 100 mg/kg. The treatment was given daily orally for 15 days, and then the animalswere sacrificed and blood samples were taken for measuring liver function tests andblood count. Specimens from the liver were taken for light and electron microscopicexamination.ResultsParacetamol caused a significant elevation in aspartate transaminase, alaninetransaminase, and alkaline phosphatase levels. Paracetamol reduced plasmatotal proteins, albumin, the level of red blood cells, and platelets. Histologicalexamination of the liver of group I II revealed deterioration of hepatocellularstructure. The hepatocytes revealed vacuolization and smooth endoplasmicreticulum proliferation with distorted cristae of the mitochondria. However,administration of paracetamol with curcumin at both doses markedly reduced theelevated aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase, and alkaline phosphataselevels and significantly increased the concentration of plasma tot al proteinand albumin levels as well as red blood cells and platelets. The biochemicalchanges were in good correlation with the histopathological data as curcuminnormalized the altered liver morphology, and the hepatocytes appeared nearlynormal, although some continued to have dark nuclei and slight cytoplasmicvacuolations.ConclusionThese results suggest that curcumin has a strong antioxidant and a significanthepatoprotective effect against paracetamol-induced hepatotoxicity and is useful inminimizing the toxicity of the drug.