Effect of Heptoplus on Isoniazid and Rifampicin Induced Hepatotoxicity in Liver Cell Lines

Objective: To evaluate the hepato protective role of Heptoplus (HP), a ployherbal formulation as a supplementary agent for the Isoniazid and Rifampicin induced oxidative stress and apoptosis in liver. Methods: Liver cell lines were divided in to five groups. Group I is control, group II is treated with 30ng/ml of INH+RIF, group III, IV and V are supplemented with 50, 100 and 200 ng/ml of HP. At the end of the experimental period, biochemical tests for liver marker enzymes and antioxidant profile were studied. Gene expression for apoptosis and CYP2E1 was also studied. Result: Cells in group II suffer from severe oxidative stress and hepatotoxicity, as seen by significant decreases of (p≤0.001) reduced glutathione, catalase (p≤0.01) and superoxide dismutase (p≤0.001) and significant increase (p≤0.01) of liver marker enzymes. However, liver cell lines nourished with 50, 100 and 200 ng/ml of HP were protected from oxidative stress and maintained normal antioxidant profile and liver marker enzymes in a dose dependent manner. Hepatocytes in group II, displayed significant (p≤0.001) up regulation of CYP2E1, BAX, P53 and caspases 3 and significant (p≤0.001) down regulation of Bcl2 gene expression. Concomitant applications of HP protected the hepatocytes from programmed cell death by conserving normal CYP2E1expression and enhancing the protective action of Bcl2 by up regulating the expression on dose dependent manner. Conclusion: Heptoplus prevented oxidative stress and apoptosis, in hepatocytes.