RESUMO
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Tricholepis glaberrima belonging to family Asteraceae is popularly known as "Brahmadandi" in Indian system of medicine and is claimed to be effective in the treatment of various ailments such as neurological disorders, hepatic disorders, sexual dysfunction, skin disease etc. The present study was undertaken to investigate the possible role of Tricholepis glaberrima in rifampicin and Bacillus Calmette-Guerin/lipopolysaccharides (BCG/LPS) induced hepatotoxicity in rats and its possible mechanism of actions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Hepatotoxicity was induced in rats by administration of rifampicin for 30 days and in another experiment BCG on day 1 and LPS on day 11. In both the experiments, hepatotoxicity was assessed by alteration of serum marker enzymes (AST, ALT, and LDH), total proteins, MDA and NO formation, cytokines mainly IL-6 and TNF-α and histoarchitecture alterations. The IL-6 and TNF-α level in liver homogenates were determined by ELISA technique. RESULTS: Administration of both rifampicin and BCG-LPS elicited hepatic damage reflected in significantly (p<0.01) increased serum marker enzymes AST, ALT, ALP, GGT, LDH and decreased total proteins, increased MDA and NO formation in liver homogenate. Furthermore, IL-6 and TNF-α increased significantly in both the experimental conditions. Pretreatment with METg and silymarin attenuated significantly (p<0.01) marker enzymes, TP, MDA and NO formation as well as IL-6 and TNF-α production in liver homogenates. Prophylactic treatment with METg exhibits significant improvement in liver damage as compared to therapeutic treatment. CONCLUSION: The hepatoprotective activity of METg may be correlated with the amelioration of oxidative stress due to immunological insult, by improving antioxidant defense ability of hepatocytes and also by reducing the cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6 and NO) production.