Hepatoprotective effect of Curcuma longa against lead induced toxicity in Wistar rats

Aim: The present investigation has been conducted to evaluate the hepatoprotective effect of Curcuma longa against lead induced toxicity. Materials and Methods: For this study, 24 Wistar albino rats were taken. Control group (n=8), group – I rats (n=8) were given lead acetate @ 1000 mg/kg bodyweight (BW) and group – II rats (n=8) were treated with Curcuma longa @ 500 mg/kg BW along with lead acetate @ 1000 mg/kg BW (daily orally for 28 days). Serum biomarkers, oxidative stress parameters and lead concentration in liver were estimated. Results: Oral administration of lead acetate for 28 days resulted in a significant increase in Aspartate amino transferase (AST), Alanine amino transferase (ALT), Alkaline phosphatase (ALP), significant increase of Lipid peroxidation (LPO) and decrease in Superoxide dismutase (SOD), Reduced glutathione (GSH) and increase in lead accumulation in liver. Treatment with Curcuma longa @ 500 mg/kg BW significantly (P < 0.01) decreased the elevated ALP, (p < 0.05) AST, ALT, LPO levels and increase in GSH levels and as compared to lead acetate treated group. But there was no significant difference in SOD level and lead concentration in liver when compared with lead acetate treated group. Conclusions: The study concludes that supplementation of Curcuma longa @ 500 mg/kg daily oral for 28 days has shown protection against lead inducedhepatotoxicity.


Introduction
cumin and bisdemethoxycurcumin are the curcuminoids present in Curcuma longa [14].Previously, it has been Liver is one of the vital organs of in vertebrates [1][2].
reported that Curcuma longa possesses antioxidant and Hepatic injury leads to death of hepatocytes and can be hepatoprotective properties [15].We have conducted identified when there is an increase of more than three this experiment to study the effect of Curcuma longa times of normal serum transaminase enzymes [3].Lead against lead induced toxicity.is one of the ubiquitous environmental pollutants and is naturally occurring bluish grey metal found in small Materials and Methods amount in earth crust [4] and has continued to pose Ethical approval: The protocol of the experiment was health hazards in animals and humans in many parts of approved by the Institutional Animal Ethical the world [5].The possible molecular mechanism Committee according to guidelines given by involved in lead toxicity is oxidative stress, which is a Committee for the Purpose of Control and Supervision consequence of an imbalance between oxidants and the of Experiments on Animals (CPCSEA).antioxidant systems [6].Heavy metals induce over production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and Experimental animals: 24 wistar albino rats were taken consequently enhance lipid peroxidation, decrease the and randomly divided in to three groups (n=8 each).saturated fatty acids and increase the unsaturated fatty They were housed in propylene cages under standard acid contents of membranes.In addition, ROS are laboratory conditions with standard food and water adhighly reactive to membrane lipids, protein and DNA, libitum.For this study, control group rats were given and are believed to be the major contributing factors to standard feed and deionised water.Group -I rats were stress injuries and lead to rapid cellular damage [7][8][9][10][11][12].
given lead acetate @ 1000 mg/kg BW daily orally for Curcuma longa is cultivated in India belonging to 28 days, and group -II rats were treated with Curcuma zingiberaecae family [13].Curcumin, demethoxycurlonga @ 500 mg/kg BW along with lead acetate @ 1000 mg/kg BW daily orally for 28 days.
Lead acetate powder was dissolved in distilled water considered significant at 5% and 1%, level respecand given orally to individual animals @ 1000 mg/kg tively.body weight [16].

Results and Discussion
Plant material: Curcuma longa rhizomes were washed Concentrations of biochemical variables are used with distilled water, shade dried and powdered, and to diagnose illness in domestic animals [22].Elevated used along with acacia gum for oral administration @ levels of serum enzymes observed are indicative of 500 mg/kg BW [17].
cellular leakage and loss of functional integrity of cell membrane in liver [23].The present study shows the Sample collection: Blood was collected from from the effect of lead on the body by considering various retro-orbital plexus and serum was separated by parameters like serum biomarker levels, oxidative following standard procedure and was kept in 0 stress parameters, and estimation of lead concentration refrigerator at 4 C till analysis.Liver was collected in the body.In our results there was significant increase after the sacrifice of the experimental animals and kept in ALT, ALP and AST levels in lead acetate treated in -20 °c for estimation of oxidative stress parameters group ( after PbAc administration in male albino rats.phosphatase (ALP) in serum were analysed using Erba Significant decrease in ALT, ALP and AST levels was Semi-autoanalyzer by Erba-biochem kits.
found in group-II.The similar findings were observed by earlier researchers [30][31].This may be due to Oxidative stress parameters: The pieces of liver hepatoprotective effect of Curcuma longa.collected after the sacrifice of the experimental animals In the present study there was increased lipid were washed in ice cold saline and 200 mg of liver peroxidation in liver of lead acetate treated group tissue sample was weighed and taken in 2 ml of ice-cold (Table -1).The results observed in this study were in saline.For estimation of GSH (reduced glutathione), 200 correlation with the previous findings [32][33].There mg of liver tissue sample was taken in 0.02 M EDTA.
was decreased SOD and GSH level in liver of lead The homogenate was prepared in Remi -Homogeniser acetate treated group (Table -1).The results obtained in and was centrifuged at 3000 rpm for 10 min.The this study were in agreement with the results of supernatant was used for estimation of following previous studies [34 -36].oxidative stress indices.Superoxide dismutase was The decrease in level of lipid peroxidation and estimated as described Madesh et al. [18].The extent of increased SOD levels in group-II might be due to lipid peroxidation was evaluated in terms of MDA potent antioxidant activity of Curcuma longa and production, determined by the thiobarbituric acid similar findings were also reported by Sharma et al. method [19].The GSH level was determined by using [37].A Significant increase in level of GSH was DTNB method [20] in liver homogenate by using UVobserved in group-II, in present study and the result VIS spectrophotometer (ECI, Hyderabad).
was in agreement with Ahmod et al. [38].In the present study there was significant increase in lead levels in Lead concentration: Lead concentration was quantitaliver and spleen in lead acetate treated group (Table -1).tively analysed on day 29 in liver with the help of High concentration of lead was previously reported in atomic absorption spectrophotometric analysis (AAS) liver of albino rats [39].There was no significant [21].Tissue was digested using acids and filtrate was difference in lead concentration of liver between prepared by using millipore water.Then final volume group-I and group-II.Supplementation of a chelator was made up to 10 ml with millipore water for reading along with curcuma longa could have protected the on Varian AA240 model Atomic Absorption tissues from lead overload.Spectrometer.

Conclusions
Statistical analysis: Quantitative data were analyzed, using the ANOVA.A value P < 0.05 and P < 0.01 were This study proves that exposure to lead for 28