ABSTRACT:
Poloxamer-188 (P-188) is a polymer well renowned for possessing medical properties. Present study was conducted with an aim to evaluate Hepato-protective potential of P-188 against paracetamol induced liver damage in wistar albino rats. Group-I served as Normal control which received normal saline 5ml/kg of Body weight (BW) for 7 days. Group-II served as Negative control in which animals received same dose as mentioned in Group-I. Group-III, IV and V animals received P-188(50mg/kg), P-188(100mg/kg) and silymarin (25mg/kg) respectively for 7 days. Except Group-I all other groups challenged with a very high dose of paracetamol (750 mg/kg) to induce hepatotoxicity. Biochemical estimation results showed that SGOT, SGPT and ALP levels were increased in negative control group animals which were decreased to normal levels when treated with P-188. There was highly significant (p<0.0001) decrease of these values in all three treatment groups. Moreover decrease in P-188 treated groups is dose dependent. Histopathological study supports the results of biochemical estimation. Negative control animal showed inflammation with mild cholestasis. P-188 (50mg/kg) showed mild inflammation, more number of normal hepatocytes, whereas P-188 (100 mg/kg) showed scattered lymphocytes among normal hepatocytes and kupffer cell hyperplasia, no incidence of inflammation and necrosis. Based on these results we can conclude that P-188 is a hepatoprotective polymer.