Aerial parts of Baccharis crispa are used as digestive and diuretic and are considered useful for hepatic, renal, and bladder diseases among others in Paraguayan folk medicine. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of crude extract of B. crispa (CEBc) on acute hepatitis induced by acetaminophen and carbon tetrachloride in mice treated orally as a part of the validation procedure of the popular use. The hepato-protective effect of B. crispa against acute hepatitis induced by acetaminophen and carbon tetrachloride in mice were performed and liver function marker, aspartate transaminase (GOT), alanine transaminase (GPT) and alkaline phosphatase(ALP) were estimated. Increased serum levels of aspartate transaminase (AST = GOT), alanine transaminase (ALT = GPT), and ALP induced by both acetaminophen (350 mg/kg, i.p.) and CCl4 (1% in sunflower oil v/v, i.p.) given to mice were ameliorated by oral pretreatment with CEBc (50.0, 100.0, 200.0, and 300.0 mg/kg). Therefore, based on results, CEBc provoked a protecting effect on chemically induced acute liver injury, considering the transaminases and ALP serum level in two models of liver injury. The active compound(s) and mechanism of protection of B. crispa remain unclear and encourage us to pursue complementary chemical and pharmacological studies.
Key words: Baccharis crispa; acetaminophen; carbon tetrachloride; liver; transaminases; alkaline phosphatase
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