Role of Panax Ginseng as an Antioxidant and Hepatoprotective after Liver Toxicity caused by Flutamide in Adult Male Rats

Abstract

Shaima Ahmed Rahim

Aim: This study was conducted to determine antioxidant, hepatoprotective and anti – inflammatory effects of panax ginseng extract against hepatotoxic effect of flutamide, a drug widely used in the treatment of metastatic prostate adenocarcinoma.
Materials and Methods: Thirty rats (weight 200-300 g) were used and had access to water and food in the animal house for two week.
The rats were divided randomly into six equal groups: group (A): received normal saline as control, group(B): received flutamide (25 mg/kg b.wt) orally for 7 days, group (C): injected p. ginseng extract (200 mg / kg b.wt) intraperitonialy daily for 30 days, group (D):injected p. ginseng extract (400mg/kg b.wt) intrapretonialy daily for 30 days, group (E):received flutamide (25mg/kg b.wt) orally for 7 days with p. ginseng extract (200 mg / kg b.wt) intrapretonialy daily for 30 days, group (F): received flutamide (25mg/kg b.wt) orally for 7days with p. ginseng extract (400 mg/kg b.wt) intrapretonialy daily for 30 days. In this study, we assessed the hepatoprotective effect of red ginseng in rats treated with flutamide. Serum concentrations of the hepatic marker enzymes alanine amino transferase (ALT), aspartate amino transferase (AST) and histopathological analysis have been performed for this purpose. The hepatic antioxidant status was assessed using measurement of GSH levels.
Results: Administration of flutamide to adult male rats causes severe hepatic injury. Hepatosomatic index, ALT and AST were significantly increased in comparison with control and ginseng treated groups. While a significant decrease in the contents of reduced hepatic glutathione (GSH) was observed
Histological examination of liver tissues showed that flutamide caused significant increase in the diameter of central vein, bloody congestion in the central vein with infiltration of Inflammatory cells, swelling of hepatocytes, narrowing of blood sinusoids and vacoules appear inside the hepatocytes.
Conclusion: The results of this current study indicate that the administration of ginseng (200,400 mg / kg b.w) to flutamide treated animals resulted in an improvement in the histological picture of the liver as well as biochemical parameters, mainly through down regulation of oxidative stress and inflammatory response.