Review: Treatment of toxicity caused by anti-tubercular drugs by use of different herbs

Tuberculosis is a familiar ailment in India and worldwide and is chief cause of mortality among all the infectious diseases. In present scenario therapy of Isoniazid, Rifampicin, Pyrazinamide and Ethambutol are commonly recommended against TB. These drugs lead to many adverse reactions which are one of the major reasons for non adherence of patients to these drugs that may lead to development of MDR. With the current scenario of MDR cases rising, this problem of adverse drug reactions cannot be taken lightly. Due to lack of successful drugs for treatment of toxicity caused by anti-TB drugs we have to turn towards traditional medicine. Ayurveda is an ancient system of natural and holistic medicine. Ayurvedic herbs have still being used as a part of treatment regimen in many parts of world. Local people still use these herbs as they are full of curative properties. Because anti-tubercular drugs induced toxicity leads to oxidative enzymes imbalance also leads to necrosis in liver tissue and many other degenerative changes, herbal extracts were experimented upon to test their ability to ameliorate toxicity by activating protective pathways. In this review we have summarized few of such herbs whose extracts were tested for their curative properties against anti-tubercular drugs induced toxicity. The main constituents in extracts that were responsible for protective effects have also been summarized along with their mechanisms of action. KEY WORDSRifampicin, Isoniazid, Pyrazinamide, Herbs