Hepatoprotective and antioxidant activity of Spilanthes paniculata flower extracts on liver damage induced by paracetamol in rats

The present study was undertaken to investigate the antioxidant and hepatoprotective effect of Spilanthes paniculata Wall. ex DC flower extracts against paracetamol-induced liver damage. The study was conducted in 36 male Wistar rats of either sex, and six groups were established. While the first group was maintained as normal control (NC, distilled water), Groups 2 to 6 were administered 3 g/kg Paracetamol (PAR) for 2 day, 100 mg/kg Silymarin (SMR), 500 mg/kg Methanolic extract (MESP), Petroleum ether extract (PEESP), Ethyl acetate extract of S. paniculata (EAESP) suspended in 0.5% tween 80 plus PAR, respectively. PAR was administered in the same schedule as in group 2, the treatment with silymarin and extracts was given for 10 days orally, respectively. It was observed that PAR significantly increased serum Alanine transaminase (ALT), Aspartate transaminase (AST), Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity liver MDA levels (P<0.01) and significantly decreased liver Glutathione (GSH) , catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity (P<0.01), when compared with the normal control group (NC). On the other hand, statistically significant (P<0.01) changes were observed in the biochemical parameters of the group which was administered SMR, PEESP and EAESP. Compared with the pathological changes observed in the liver in the form of congested sinusoids and centrilobular necrosis, in the group which was administered paracetamol alone (PAR), lesions were determined to be less severe particularly in the group (PEESP and EAESP). The study shows that administration of PEESP and EAESP offered a therapeutic potential for the treatment of hepatotoxicity induced by paracetamol via regulation of endogenous antioxidant system in liver.  Key words: Spilanthes paniculata, paracetamol, biochemical parameters, oxidative stress, rats.