Moringa oleifera enhances liver antioxidant status via elevation of antioxidant enzymes activity and counteracts paracetamol-induced hepatotoxicity.

• Main Authors: Nanthini, Uma, Fakurazi, Sharida, Ithnin, Hairuszah
• Format: Article
• Language: English; English
• Published: Nutrition Society of Malaysia 2010
• Online Access: http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/15729/1/Moringa%20oleifera%20enhances%20liver%20antioxidant%20status%20via%20elevation%20of%20antioxidant%20enzymes%20activity%20and%20counteracts%20paracetamol.pdf; http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/15729/

This study investigated the role of antioxidant enzyme system following crude hydroethanolic extract of Moringa oleifera leaves (MO) in acute paracetamol (PCM) induced hepatotoxicity. Hydroethanolic extract (80%) of MO (200 mg/kg and 800 mg/kg; p.o) was pre-administered before a single oral dose of 3 g/kg PCM intoxication to male Sprague-Dawley rats. Pre-treatment of the extract was found to have reduced lipid peroxidation level when compared to the group treated with PCM only. The level of glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione-S-transferase (GST) and glutathione reductase (GR) was restored to near normal in groups that were pre-treated with MO. Histopathological studies have further confirmed the hepatoprotective activity of MO compared to group treated with PCM only. The results obtained were comparable to silymarin (200 mg/kg; p.o). The MO extract was found to have significantly protected the liver against toxicity following PCM intoxication by enhancing the level of antioxidant enzyme activity.