Protective Effect of Curcumin Against Paracetamol-induced Liver Damage

Curcumin, as well-known dietary pigment derived from the rhizome of curcuma longa L., has been shown to be a potent anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anticarcinogenic agent. The present investigation aimed at questioning and examining the possible potential protective effect of curcumin against paracetamol-induced hepatotoxicity in an attempt to understand its mechanism of action, which may pave the way for possible therapeutic application. Paracetamol (500 mg/kg.b.w.) administration to rats resulted in massive elevation in serum and hepatic lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity and TBARS as well as in serum tumor necrosis factor-alph (TNF-a) levels, with a significant decrease in serum protein thiols (Pr-SHs), blood glutathione (GSH) levels, blood superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities. On the other hand, paracetamol hepatotoxicity resulted in an increased in hepatic TBARS and depletion of hepatic GSH and Pr-SHs levels as well as in hepatic SOD, GPx, GR, glutathione-s-transferase (GST) and Catalase (CAT) activities. Oral administration of curcumin at a concentration of 50 mg/kg b.w. daily for 15 days to rats treated with paracetamol produced a significant protection against-induced increase in serum and hepatic LDH activities as well as TBARS and tumor necrosis factor-alph (TNF-a) levels. Also, curcumin (50 mg/kg.B.W.) could inhibit reduce in serum Pr-SHs, blood GSH levels and enhance increase in blood SOD and GPx activities. Hepatic TBARS level was suppressed by administration of curcumin to paracetamol-treated rats. In addition, curcumin enhance increase in hepatic GSH and Pr-SHs levels as well as in hepatic SOD, GPx, GR, GST and CAT activities. These data indicate that curcumin is a natural antioxidant hepatoprotective agent against hepatotoxicity induced by paracetamol model. Thus, curcumin may have a therapeutic value in drug-induced hepatotoxicity as well as in paracetamol therapy