Abstract
Introduction: Paracetamol, an analgesic, is safe at therapeutic dose. Its overdose causes hepatotoxicity. Silymarin is hepatoprotective, capable of stabilizing cell membranes. Vitamins E and C (VEC) have hepatoprotective effects due to their anti-oxidant rule.
Aim of the work: investigate protective effects of silymarin, vitamins E and C on the paracetamol hepatotoxicity.
Material and Methods:
Forty adult male albino rats were used in this experiment, divided into 4 groups, 10 rats each, Group I (Control) given normal saline orally, Group II: given paracetamol (PC), once daily orally, Group III: given Silymarin, once daily orally with PC once daily orally, Group IV: given (vitamin E, vitamin C, once daily intraperitoneally, with PC once daily orally. Livers of rats were examined by light and electron microscopy. The experiment extended for two weeks and was done in faculty of medicine, Al-Azhar university.
Results: Light microscopy: Group II showed diffuse cytoplasmic vacuolations. The nuclei appeared eccentric and pyknotic. Focal necrosis was observed. Marked cellular infiltration was noted around congested central veins. Group III, marked improvement was noticed. Group IV, some hepatocytes showed vacuolations, while the remaining restored their normal structure. Electron microscopy: Group II showed some nuclei without nucleolus, intracytoplasmic vacuolations and decrease in the number of organelles, mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum. In Group III and Group IV, the ultra-structural changes in the liver sections disappeared in spite of persistence of some lipid droplets and cytoplasmic vacuoles.
Conclusion:
This study proved the hepatoprotective effects of silymarin and vitamins E and C, against paracetamol hepatotoxicity.