Protective effect of curcumin in rat liver injury induced by carbon tetrachloride

This study was carried out to investigate the protective effects of curcumi n on acute or subacute carbon tetrachloride-induced liver damage in rats. Acute hepatotoxicity was induced by intraperitoneal injection of carbon tet rachloride after 4 consecutive days of curcumin treatment. Subacute hepatot oxicity was induced by oral administration of carbon tetrachloride twice a week during 4 weeks of curcumin treatment. In rats with acute liver injury, curcumin (100 and 200 mg kg(-1)) lowered the activity of serum alanine ami notransferase to 52-53% (P < 0.05) and aspartate aminotransferase to about 62% (P < 0.05) those of control rats. In rats with subacute liver injury, c urcumin (100 mg kg(-1)) lowered the activity of serum alanine aminotransfer ase to 34% (P < 0.01) and alkaline phosphatase to 53% (P < 0.05) of control rats. The liver hydroxyproline content in the curcumin (100 mg kg(-1))-tre ated group was reduced to 48% of the carbon tetrachloride control group (P < 0.01). Malondialdehyde levels in curcumin (100 mg kg(-1)) treated rat liv er was decreased to 67% of the control rat liver (P < 0.01) in subacute inj ury. It was concluded that curcumin improved both acute and subacute liver injur y induced by carbon tetrachloride in rats.