Mf. Souza et al., Prevention of acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity by ternatin, a bioflavonoid from Egletes viscosa Less, PHYTOTHER R, 12(8), 1998, pp. 557-561
The hepatoprotective effect of ternatin, a tetramethoxyflavone from Egletes
viscosa L. was investigated in mice against acetaminophen-induced hepatic
damage and lethality. Hepatotoxicity was assessed by quantifying serum acti
vities of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST),
lactic dehydrogenase (LD) and malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration in liver
homogenates as well as by histopathological examination of liver tissue. A
cetaminophen (300 mg/kg) produced liver damage in mice as manifested by a 2
9-, 23- and 7-fold rise in serum levels of ALT, AST and LD, respectively, c
ompared with controls. Ternatin (25 and 50 mg/kg) was able to prevent signi
ficantly (p < 0.05) acetaminophen-induced acute increase in serum enzymes.
In addition, the severity of histological alterations induced by acetaminop
hen as evidenced by centrilobular necrosis and cellular infiltration were g
reatly diminished in animals that received ternatin. The data suggest a hep
atoprotective activity of ternatin in mice against toxicity induced by acet
aminophen. (C) 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.