Exploratory Studies of (-)-Epicatechin, a Bioactive Compound of Phyllanthus niruri, on the Antioxidant Enzymes and Oxidative Stress Markers in D-galactosamine-induced Hepatitis in Rats: A Study with Reference to Clinical Prospective

BACKGROUND: Hepatitis is a health problem affecting millions of people worldwide and it is the major risk factor for liver cirrhosis. In India, many plants are used to treat hepatitis. But little is known about the effects of (-)-epicatechin a bioactive compound of Phyllanthus niruri (PN) in hepatitis rats. OBJECTIVE: The present study was designed to explore the antioxidant property of (-)-epicatechin isolated from PN in D-Galactosamine (D-GalN) induced hepatitis rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The rats are divided into five groups as per the experimental design. (-)-Epicatchin pretreatment was given to the hepatitis rats for 21 days and biochemical analysis was carried out. The hepatic antioxidant enzymes like superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione S-transferase (GST), reduced glutathione (GSH), and malondialdehyde (MDA) and serum markers aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), albumin, and bilirubin are estimated. RESULTS: All the antioxidant enzymes activities and albumin levels are depleted in hepatitic rats. Whereas GST, ALP, AST, ALT activities and MDA, and bilirubin levels are elevated in hepatitis rats, (-)-epicatechin pretreatment increased all the antioxidant enzymes and decreased the GST, ALP, AST, ALT, and MDA levels in hepatitis rats. However, histopatholoigic studies also proves that (-)-epicatechin pretreatment decreased the tissue damage in hepatitis condition. This is the first report on the antioxidant enzymes and hepatoprotective effect of (-)-epicatechin in hepatitis rats. CONCLUSION: From this study, we conclude that (-)-epicatechin treatment decreased the oxidative damage in hepatitis rats. SUMMARY: The present study was carried out to know the impact of (-)-epicatechin on antioxidant enzymes activities in hepatitis rats. From this study, we found that the antioxidant enzymes SOD, CAT, GPx, GR, GSH depleted in hepatitis rats and increased with (-)-epicatechin in hepatitis rats. MDA levels increased in hepatitis rats and decreased with (-)-epicatechin in hepatitis rats. From this study, we concluded that (-)-epicatechin will be useful to treat hepatotoxicity in rats. Abbreviations used: Phyllanthus niruri (PN), D-Galactosamine (D-GalN), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione s transferase (GST), reduced glutathione (GSH) and malondialdehyde (MDA) aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), World Health Organisation (WHO), Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS)