RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the hepatoprotective and antioxidant activity of pentagamavunon-0(PGV-0) against CCl4-induced hepatic injury in rats. METHODS: The groups of animals were administered with PGV-0 at the doses 2.5, 5, 10, and 20 mg/kg b.w., p.o. once in a day for 6 days and at day 7 the animals were administrated with carbon tetrachloride (CCl) (20%, 2 mL/kg b.w. in liquid paraffin (i.p.). The effect of PGV-0 on serum transaminase (SGPT), alkaline phosphates (ALP) and total bilirubin were determined in CCl4-induced hepatotoxicity in rats. Further, the effects of PGV-0 on glutathione (GSH) content, catalase (CAT) and NO free radical scavenging activity also were investigated. RESULTS: The results demonstrated that PGV-0 significantly reduced the activity of SGPT, serum ALP and total bilirubin in CCl4 induced rat hepatotoxicity. PGV-0 has effect on the antioxidant and free radical defense system. It prevented the depletion level of GSH and decrease activity of CAT in CCl4-induced liver injury in rats. PGV-0 also demonstrated the free radical scavenger effects on NO free radical scavenging activity with ES value of 32.32 µM. CONCLUSION: All of our findings suggests that PGV-0 could protect the liver cells from CCl4-induced liver damages and the mechanism may through the antioxidative effect of PGV-0 to prevent the accumulation of free radicals and protect the liver damage.