Potency of andrographolide as an antitumor compound in BHC-induced liver damage.

RELEVANCE: The present investigation relates to the influence of andrographolide, an active compound of Andrographis paniculata Nees. It reverses an experimental liver carcinogenic condition of mice to normal and might be a potential therapeutic/preventive agent for human liver cancer. OBJECTIVE: A. paniculata (Kalmegh) is extensively used in the Indian traditional system of medicine as a hepatoprotective and hepatostimulative agent and has been reported to have protective effect against different hepatotoxins. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Histomorphological, ultrastructural, and biochemical studies were performed for the effect of the andrographolide on control mice, mice treated with hexachlorocyclohexane (BHC) only and BHC + andrographolide. Enzymes for liver function tests were analyzed by spectrophotometric method. RESULTS: The BHC experimental model forms an irreversible liver tumor in male mice. The histological and ultrastructural changes observed in andrographolide supplementation emphasize the recovery of the damaged liver. This recovery was also reflected in the neoplastic nodule formation. The activity of phosphorylase and glucose-6-phosphatase in the liver of the andrographolide-supplemented group suggests improved glycogenolysis in liver. Serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase, serum glutamate oxalate transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, acid phosphatase, and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase showed a significant decrease in andrographolide-supplemented animals as compared with BHC-treated animals, suggesting regenerative effects elicited by andrographolide. CONCLUSION: The study indicates that the regenerative capability elicited by andrographolide is possibly due to its ability to reactivate liver function enzymes that catalyze the reaction of several biochemical and synthetic processes and that it may be useful for severe liver damage conditions.

Hepatoprotective effect of andrographolide against hexachlorocyclohexane-induced oxidative injury.

Many plant products are known to exert antioxidative effects by quenching various free radicals and singlet molecular oxygen. Andrographis paniculata (Kalmegh) is used extensively in the Indian traditional system of medicine as a hepatoprotective and hepatostimulative agent and has been reported to have antioxidant effects against different hepatotoxins. The present study aims to analyze antioxidant properties of an active component, andrographolide (ANDLE), extracted from A paniculata. This study investigates the effect of andrographolide on the hepatocellular antioxidant defense system and lipid peroxidation of control mice, mice treated with hexachlorocyclohexane (BHC) only, and andrographolide + BHC. Glutathione (GSH), glutathione-s-transferase (GST), glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (gamma-GTP), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and lipid peroxidation (LPO) are studied by spectrophotometric methods. The BHC experimental model forms an irreversible liver tumor in male mice. The activities of GSH, GR, GSH-Px, SOD, and CAT show significant (P