EFFECT OF CURCUMIN AND EUGENOL ON IRON-INDUCED HEPATIC TOXICITY IN RATS

Male Wistar rats injected i.p. with 30 mg Fe2+/kg body weight show hep atic damage as measured by an increase in lipid peroxides which correl ated with elevated serum enzymes, alanine aminotransferase (ALAT), asp artate aminotransferase (ASAT) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). Oral a dministration of spice principles, curcumin from turmeric (30 mg/kg bo dy weight) or eugenol from cloves (100 mg/kg body weight), for 10 days lowered the liver and serum lipid peroxide levels, serum ALAT, ASAT a nd LDH, enhanced by i.p. injection of iron. This study indicates that curcumin or eugenol reduces the iron-induced hepatic damage by lowerin g lipid peroxidation.