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Hepatoprotective activity of bacoside A against N-nitrosodiethylamine-induced liver toxicity in adult rats

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Abstract

N-Nitrosodiethylamine (DEN) is a notorious carcinogen, present in many environmental factors. DEN induces oxidative stress and cellular injury due to enhanced generation of reactive oxygen species; free radical scavengers protect the membranes from DEN-induced damage. The present study was designed to evaluate the protective effect of bacoside A (the active principle isolated from Bacopa monniera Linn.) on carcinogen-induced damage in rat liver. Adult male albino rats were pretreated with 15 mg/kg body weight/day of bacoside A orally (for 14 days) and then intoxicated with single necrogenic dose of N-nitrosodiethylamine (200 mg/kg bodyweight, intraperitonially) and maintained for 7 days. The liver weight, lipid peroxidation (LPO), and activity of serum marker enzymes (aspartate transaminases, alanine transaminases, lactate dehydrogenase, alkaline phosphatase, and γ-glutamyl transpeptidase) were markedly increased in carcinogen-administered rats, whereas the activities of marker enzymes were near normal in bacoside A-pretreated rats. Activities of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, glutatione-S-transferase, and reduced glutathione) in liver also decreased in carcinogen-administered rats, which were significantly elevated in bacoside A-pretreated rats. It is concluded that pretreatment of bacoside A prevents the elevation of LPO and activity of serum marker enzymes and maintains the antioxidant system and thus protects the rats from DEN-induced hepatotoxicity.

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Abbreviations

ALT:

alanine transaminase

ALP:

alkaline phosphatases

AST:

aspartate transaminase

CAT:

catalase

DEN:

N-nitrosodiethylamine

GGT:

γ-glutamyl transpeptidase

GPx:

glutathione peroxidase

GR:

glutathione reductase

GSH:

reduced glutathione

GST:

glutathione-S-transferase

LDH:

lactate dehydrogenase

LPO:

lipid peroxidation

MDA:

malondialdehyde

ROS:

reactive oxygen species

SOD:

superoxide dismutase

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Acknowledgement

The authors wish to acknowledge Nivaran Herbal, Chennai, India, for gifting crude bacoside A and Natural Remedies, Bangalore, India, for gifting standard bacoside A to carry on the research work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Zoology, Presidency College, Chennai, 600 005, Tamil Nadu, India

    Panneerselvam Janani & Kanakarajan Sivakumari

  2. Department of Endocrinology, Dr. ALM Post Graduate Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Madras, Taramani Campus, Chennai, 600 113, Tamil Nadu, India

    Chandrakesan Parthasarathy

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  1. Panneerselvam Janani
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Correspondence to Kanakarajan Sivakumari.

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Janani, P., Sivakumari, K. & Parthasarathy, C. Hepatoprotective activity of bacoside A against N-nitrosodiethylamine-induced liver toxicity in adult rats. Cell Biol Toxicol 25, 425–434 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10565-008-9096-4

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