Hepatoprotective effect of Centella asiatica 50% ethanol extract against acetaminophen-induced acute liver injury in BALB/c mice

Abstract

N-acetyl-p-aminophenol (acetaminophen, APAP) is a well-known component of analgesic and antipyretic monotherapy products. However, exceeding the recommended dose can lead to serious injury to the liver. We conducted this study to determine the potential of Centella asiatica as a natural substance to protect against APAP-induced liver injury. When acute hepatotoxicity was induced in mice by APAP overdose, their liver weight decreased significantly (p < 0.05). However, mice treated with C. asiatica 50% ethanol extract (CA-HE50, 200 mg/kg) for a week before induction of hepatotoxicity by APAP had similar liver weights to those of mice in which hepatotoxicity was not induced. In particular, levels of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, and lactate dehydrogenase, which are biomarkers of liver injury, were significantly increased by APAP and dose-dependently decreased by CA-HE50 (p < 0.05). Glutathione and malondialdehyde, indicators of oxidative stress, were significantly changed by APAP and CA-HE50 (p < 0.05). In addition, hepatic necrosis and expression of genes encoding pro-inflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin (IL)-1β, and IL-4) induced by APAP were inhibited by CA-HE50, and these results were dose-dependent. Through our in vivo studies, we found that CA-HE50 can help prevent APAP-induced hepatic tissue injury in BALB/c mice. Furthermore, CA-HE50 was effective at protecting RAW 264.7 cells from lipopolysaccharide-induced cytotoxicity and inhibiting the release of nitric oxide from these cells; in particular, asiaticoside was found to be a key component of CA-HE50 responsible for these effects. Therefore, we suggest that CA-HE50 has potential applications in functional health foods and drugs.

Therapeutic properties and pharmacological activities of asiaticoside and madecassoside: A review

“…The antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory actions were identified to be due to the asiaticoside content present in the extract. Hence, asiaticoside is an effective phytochemical in protecting against APAP‐induced liver injury 107 …”

A study on hepatoprotective activity and antioxidant properties of Musa balbisianacolla Seeds

“…Some reports have also depicted the strong correlation between total phenols and antioxidant activity (Baskaret al, 2011). Oxidative stress generated during paracetamol toxicity causing hepatic injury can be prevented which can be attributed to antioxidant activity of phenolic compound (Wu et al, 2017) Paracetamol, used as antipyretic has been known to cause liver toxicity when in excessive overdose (Park et al, 2021). Paracetamol when in above the therapeutic level, exerts toxicity by the activity of hepatocytes metabolizing paracetamol through microsomal cytochrome P450 (CYP450) into toxic byproducts.…”

Synergistic Effects of Vitis vinifera L. and Centella asiatica against CCl4-Induced Liver Injury in Mice

“…Consistent with other studies, we found that the radical scavenging activity of VCEC was significantly greater and exhibited higher, dose-dependent, free radical scavenging capacity than antioxidant positive control vitamin C and VE or CE alone. Several studies have found that VE and CE have potential hepatoprotective activity against CCl 4 and ethanol-induced liver toxicity [11,[30][31][32][33]. However, more research is needed to fully understand why the combination of the two extracts has synergistic effects in reducing liver damage compared to using either extract alone.…”