The Protective Effect of aqueous root extract of Berberis integerrima against Hepatotoxicity Induced by Doxorubicin in Male Rats

Introduction: Berberis integerrima and its main component, berberine, has been traditionally used for the treatment of various disorders and has shown anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, antimutagenic and anti-diabetic effects. The aim of this study was to evaluate the hepatoprotective potentialeffects of Berberis integerrima aqueous root extract. Methods and materials: Aqueous root extract of Berberis integerrima was orally administered with the doses (250 and 500 mg/kg) for 14 days on the toxicity induced by doxorubicin in male albino rats. In vivomodel was used to explore that, whether Berberis integerrima aqueous root extract could prevent the liver tissue damage induced by doxorubicin (intraperitoneally administered with the dose of 25 mg/kg on 12th, 13th and 14th days) during the experiment The Changes in the body weight, biochemical parameters of oxidative stress, liver activity of alanine (ALT) and aspartate transaminase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity and histological preparations were examined in the liver samples of treated animals. Results: This experiment showed that the doxorubicin administration had a clear incremental effect on the levels of MPO, ALT, AST, ALP enzymes and Malondialdehyde level (P <0.05) against the normal group, this effect was clearly decreased in pre-treatment group with aqueous extract (for two weeks) and showed no significant difference with doxorubicin group (P <0.05). Conclusion: The results of this study indicated that the tested aqueous root extract of Berberis integerrima have a protective effect on the liver tissue against the toxicity induced by doxorubicin.

کلیدواژه ها:

Berberis integerrima ، Doxorubicin ، Hepatotoxicity ، Oxidative stress