Kp. Devi et al., Effect of Premna tomentosa on rat liver antioxidant defense system in acetaminophen-intoxicated rats., BIOMED RES, 19(5), 1998, pp. 339-342
Premna tomentosa is a medicinal plant used as an effective treatment for he
patotoxicity in ayurvedic medicine. Premna tomentosa extract was examined f
or antioxidant activity to determine whether antioxidant activity could acc
ount for the antihepatotoxic activity. The antioxidants studied were glutat
hione, superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathine peroxidase, glutathione r
eductase and glutathione-S-transferase. The activities of antioxidants were
decreased in acetaminophen treated rats. The changes in the activities of
antiperoxidative enzymes in drug toxicity suggests increased peroxidation a
nd increased damage to the tissues. Pretreatment with Premna tomentosa (750
mg/kg body weight, orally) reverses the deleterious effects of acetaminoph
en. Activities of antioxidants were significantly increased in Premna tomen
tosa pretreated rats. The results indicate that the crude extract of Premna
tomentosa exhibits hepatoprotective action partly through correction of ox
idative stress and validates the traditional use of this plant in hepatic d
amage.