PROTECTIVE EFFECT OF TAMARIX AMPLEXICAULIS SEEDS AGAINST HEPATOTOXICITY INDUCED BY CARBON TETRACHLORIDE, PARACETAMOL, o‎r D-GALACTOSAMINE

This study aimed at evaluating the hepatoprotective effect of ethanolic extract of Tamarix amplexicaulisseeds against carbon tetrachloride (CCl4), paracetamol, or D-galactosamine-induced hepatotoxicity inWister rats. Silymarin was used as a reference hepatoprotective standard. Hepatotoxicity induced 24 hoursafter administration of each of the foregoing hepatotoxins, was manifested biochemically by significantelevation in the activities of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT, EC: 2.6.1.2) and aspartateaminotransferase (AST, EC: 2.6.1.1). The toxicity was furthermore evidenced by a significant decrease ofhepatic reduced glutathione (GSH) content, and a significant increase of lipid peroxidation measured asmalondialdehyde (MDA) in liver tissue homogenate. Treatment of rats with i.p. injection of silymarin orTamarix extract at different concentrations one hour prior to administration of the hepatotoxins, reducedsignificantly (p 0.0001) the elevations in the levels of serum ALT and AST activity induced by i.pinjection of carbon tetrachloride or oral administration of paracetamol. However, both silymarin andTamarix extract failed to reduce significantly the increase of serum AST activity induced by i.p. injectionof D-galactosamine. In addition, pretreatment with silymarin and Tamarix extract, significantly (p 0.001) modulated the hepatic glutathione (GSH) depletion induced by carbon tetrachloride administration,and significantly (p 0.001) decreased the production of malondialdehyde (MDA). In conclusion, theethanolic extract of Tamarix amplexicaulis seeds has shown a dose-dependent hepatoprotective effects against carbon tetrachloride or paracetamol-induced hepatotoxicity verified by amelioration of serum ALTactivity and hepatic GSH, and reduction of serum AST activity and liver lipid peroxidation, which resultedin the detoxification of xenobiotics as underlying hepatoprotective mechanisms.