Human & Experimental Toxicology 2011-10-01

Anti-hepatotoxic effects of 3,4-methylenedioxyphenol and N-acetylcysteine in acutely acetaminophen-overdosed mice.

Victor Raj Mohan Chandrasekaran, Se-Ping Chien, Dur-Zong Hsu, Ming-Yie Liu

Index: Hum. Exp. Toxicol. 30(10) , 1609-15, (2011)

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Abstract

3,4-Methylenedioxyphenol (sesamol) is effective against acetaminophen-induced liver injury in rats. Whether sesamol's anti-hepatotoxic effect is comparable to that of N-acetylcysteine has never been studied. We investigated the anti-hepatotoxic effects of sesamol and N-acetylcysteine on acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity in mice. Equimolar doses (1 mmol/kg) of sesamol and N-acetylcysteine significantly inhibited acetaminophen (300 mg/kg)-increased serum aspartate transaminase and alanine transaminase levels 6 h post-administration. Sesamol and N-acetylcysteine maintained hepatic glutathione levels and inhibited lipid peroxidation. Moreover, the combination of sesamol and N-acetylcysteine antagonistically inhibited sesamol's protection against acetaminophen-induced liver injury. We conclude that the protective effect of sesamol against acetaminophen-induced liver damage is comparable to that of N-acetylcysteine by maintaining glutathione levels and inhibiting lipid peroxidation in mice.