Efficacy of a potentized homoeopathic drug (Arsenicum-Album-30) in reducing cytotoxic effects produced by arsenic trioxide in mice: III. Enzymatic changes and recovery of tissue damage in liver

Objective:To determine whether the potentized homoeopathic drug Arsenicum A lbum-30 can induce enzymatic and some other biochemical changes to repair t issue damage caused by the injection of arsenic trioxide in mice, Design: C ontrolled laboratory study. Methods: Mice injected with arsenic trioxide an d then orally administered the homoeopathic drug were compared with control animals who either received saline only, or injections of arsenic trioxide , or injections of arsenic trioxide followed by orally administered dilute alcohol. Activities of the enzymes acid and alkaline phosphatases, lipid pe roxidation and reduced glutathione, which are used as 'marker' enzymes for cytotoxicity levels, were assessed by standard methods. Histopathological s lide preparations of liver were made by routine microtechnique method of ti ssue sectioning and staining with haematoxylin- eosin for histological exam ination. Results:The mice fed homoeopathic drug showed positive results of tissue recovery both in terms of enzymatic and histological changes, compar ed to controls. Conclusions:The homoeopathic drug is capable of preventing or repairing liver damage induced by arsenic trioxide and the positive chan ges were also confirmed by the activities of the enzymatic markers. (C) 200 0 Harcourt Publishers Ltd.