Protective Impact of Curcumin against Paracetamol-Induced Hepatotoxicity in Rats

The present study was planned to investigate the protective impact of curcumin on hepatotoxicity of paracetamol in male albino rats. Thirty-five male albino rats were allocated into seven equal groups, each of five rats, 1st group was kept as control, 2nd group orally administered tween 80 (0.5 ml/200 g b. wt) for 15 days, 3rd group received silymarin (200 mg/kg b. wt) orally for 15 days, 4th group received curcumin (200 mg/kg b. wt) orally for 15 days, 5th group orally administered paracetamol (500 mg/kg b. wt) for the last 5 days, 6th group was given silymarin and paracetamol, 7th group was given curcumin and paracetamol. The hepatotoxicity of paracetamol in rats displayed a significant reduction in erythrocytic count (RBCs), concentration of hemoglobin (Hb), the values of packed cell volume (PCV) and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) with a critical elevation in mean corpuscular volume (MCV), platelets (Plts), white blood cells (WBCs) and neutrophils count. Silymarin or curcumin administration with paracetamol in rats produced a significant increase in RBCs, Hb, PCV and MCHC with a significant decrease in MCV, Plts, WBCs and neutrophils count. Liver enzymes (ALT and AST) and total bilirubin were significantly increased post administration of paracetamol whereas administration of silymarin or curcumin with paracetamol significantly decreased the activities of liver enzymes and total bilirubin. Paracetamol administration in rats produced a significant increase in tumor-necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) level and lactate-dehydrogenase enzyme (LDH) activity. Silymarin or curcumin administration with paracetamol displayed a critical decrease in TNF-α and LDH activity. Paracetamol elicited a critical decrease in catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activities with a critical elevation in malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration. Silymarin or curcumin administration with paracetamol evoked a critical elevation in CAT, SOD and GPX activities with a significant decrease in MDA concentration.  Histopathological examination of paracetamol treated rats displayed alterations in liver histoarchitecture with degenerative and necrotic changes in hepatic cells but restored to nearly normal picture by pretreatment with silymarin and curcumin. Curcumin has a hepatoprotective effect on paracetamol induced-hepatotoxicity in rats.