Vitamin C supplementation ameliorates liver function profile and antiviral treatment response in Hepatitis C patients.

An imbalance between oxidative stress and antioxidative defence mediates a variety of diseases pathogenesis. The present study aims to assess the possible outcome of supplementation of oral vitamin-C (VC), an antioxidant, in Viral Hepatitis C (HCV) treatment as an adjuvant therapy. 200 HCV-patients were selected, 100 were given Vitamin-C (1000 mg/day) along with anti HCV treatment (sofosbuvir plus daclatasvir) while the other 100 took only anti-HCV treatment for 4weeks. The serum ascorbic acid (Vitamin-C) levels and functions of the liver were tested before and after the VC supplementation. HCV patients with relatively low serum ascorbic acid showed significant improvement after the intake of vitamin C. After 4 weeks of treatment, AST, ALP, albumin, and total, direct and indirect bilirubin were improved significantly in the VC group; whereas only ALT and indirect bilirubin were improved in both groups when associated with the control subjects. Comparing the two treatment groups at 4weeks; more effective and significant improvement was observed in ALT (p<0.01), AST (p<0.001), direct (p<0.01) and indirect bilirubin (p<0.001), total proteins (p<0.001) and albumin (p<0.05) in patients with VC supplementation on anti-viral treatment compared to only anti-viral treatment group. Thus, VC supplementation improves the antiviral therapy outcome by bestowing a beneficial effect in minimizing liver damage in HCV cases.

A randomized controlled trial on albino rats treated with chicory plant to improve liver efficiency.

Chicory can be used as herbal medicine against different ailments and also added to daily diet as vegetable or animal feed. An efficacy trial was conducted to assess the potential of this plant against liver disorders using rodent modeling. The trials comprised two modules i.e., normal diet and chicory-based supplemented diet. Moreover, experimental animals (rats) were divided into six groups with both modules including C0 (control diet), C1 (Chicory root containing diet), C2 (chicory seed containing diet), C3 (chicory stem containing diet) and C4 (chicory leaf containing diet). During 56 days of the trial period, serum lipid profile, liver and renal functioning tests were performed. The highest feed and water intake, as well as weight gain, was noted in control (C0) trailed by C1, C2, C3, C4 and C5group in an experimental trial, respectively. The resultant diet C2 lowered the liver alkaline phosphatase level (ALP) from C0 (240.72±3.35) to 203.52±2.08 (C2), respectively. Similarly, C2 significantly lowered the ALT from 60.28±2.23 (C0) &57.58±0.91 (C2) in rats. Moreover, C2 treatment showed a maximum reduction of AST from 145.13±2.10 (C0) to 134.52±1.24 (C2), respectively. Convincingly, chicory-based diet may be employed as an alternative to medication in the prevention and treatment of hypercholesterolemia and hepatic malfunctioning.

Antioxidant, antibacterial and antifungal potential study of Salvia macrosiphon Boiss. stem extracts.

The aim of present research work was to evaluate the Salvia macrosiphon Boiss. of Lamiaceae (mint family), using biochemical and biological assays. Plant's phytochemicals extraction was performed in methanol, butanol and water by mechanical shaking process. TPC and TFC were determined by Folin-Ciocalteu and aluminum chloride colorimetric procedures, respectively. The highest TPC (99.61±3.45 mg GAE/g) and TFC (234.72±7.12mg CE/g) were obtained in butanol and methanol, respectively. Regarding the antioxidant potential methanol extract showed the highest DPPH° scavenging potential (78.0±2.0%) and reducing activity (0.923±0.020 absorbance). The antibacterial activity of butanol extract against P. aeruginosa were found highest (ZOI = 23±2.00 mm). Antifungal study of methanol extract showed the ZOI (11 ±0.67mm) against F. brachygibbosum. The results revealed that the methanol stem extract of S. macrosiphon bear significant medicinal value and could be used for formulating phytomedicines and food preservers.

Therapeutic potential of quinoa seed extract as regenerative and hepatoprotective agent in induced liver injury wistar rat model.

The liver is a fundamental metabolic organ that performs many essential functions including the detoxification of toxic substances present in the body. Exposure to various toxicants leads the liver towards hepatic injury. This study was planned to estimate the hepatoprotective and regenerative efficacy of Quinoa seeds (Chenopodium quinoa) extract against carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) induced liver damage. At a dose of 1ml/kg (153.8mg/kg) body weight carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) was used intraperitoneally to induce hepatic injury in Wistar rats. Silymarin (30mg/kg body weight, p.o.), an antioxidant was used as a reference standard drug. Subsequently, ethanolic extract of Quinoa seeds (QEE) was administered at 400 and 600mg/kg body weight through oral gavage. Various biochemical and regenerative biomarkers were assessed to evaluate the potential efficacy of QEE in liver tissue regeneration. Results revealed that QEE administration significantly reduced the CCl4-induced raised quantities of alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), and total oxidative stress (TOS) while, significantly improved the level of triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine (T4), albumin and total protein concentration in QEE treated groups. The expression level of IGF-1, FOXA-2, Stmn-2, SPP-1 was found significantly down-expressed. It is concluded that QEE treatment has the regenerative and hepatoprotective effect.