The Potential Antioxidant and Hepatoprotective activities of Astragalus subrobustus and Astragalus woronowii ethanolic Extracts against Paracetamol induced Liver Damage in rats

Present study was aimed to investigate in vitro antioxidant and hepatoprotective activities of the ethanolic extracts of Astragalus subrobustus (A. subrobustus) and Astragalus woronowii (A. woronowii) on PCM induced liver damage in rats. The antioxidant activities of both extracts were assayed and their activities were compared to standard antioxidants, ascorbic acid and pyrogallol. Liver injury was induced by PCM administration (2 g/kg, orally) as a single dose. The results revealed that the EC50 values of A. subrobustus and A. woronowii extracts, ascorbic acid and pyrogallol were calculated to be 2535, 0.8408, 75.62 and 0.0000248 μg/mL, respectively. PCM administration showed hepatic damage and oxidative stress in rats as indicated by elevated serum activities of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), γ-glutamyl transferase (γ-GT) and serum level of total bilirubin (BRN). At the same time, PCM decreased the activities of glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) enzymes, content of reduced glutathione (GSH) and malondialdehyde (MDA) in the liver homogenates.A. subrobustus (400 mg/kg) and A. woronowii (200 and 400 mg/kg) extracts or silymarin administration prevented the toxic effect of PCM on the above parameters. Liver histopathology supported the biochemical findings. The data obtained in the present study suggests that A. subrobustus and A. woronowiihave potent antioxidant activities and afford significant hepatoprotective activity against PCM induced hepatotoxicity.