ABSTRACT:
Objective: To investigate the potential pharmacological activity of ß-Asarone against Paracetamol (PCM) induced hepatotoxicity. This involves screening its efficacy in preventing or treating liver damage caused by Pcm. Material and methods: The experiment involved five groups, each consisting of six rats. Group I served as the normal control, while the other four groups received an oral dose of paracetamol (2000mg/kg) to induce toxicity. Group III was treated with the standard drug silymarin (100mg/kg), and Groups IV and V received ß-asarone at doses of 25mg/kg and 50mg/kg, respectively. All treatments were administered orally for 10 consecutive days. At the end of the study, the animals were humanely sacrificed, and blood and liver samples were collected for further analysis. Results and discussion: Based on acute oral toxicity screening, a non-lethal dose of ß-asarone was established at 221mg/kg. Doses of 25mg/kg and 50mg/kg were selected for the study. High doses of paracetamol caused significant liver damage, as shown by elevated liver enzymes (AST, ALT) and bilirubin, and decreased protein levels. Both silymarin and ß-asarone treatments effectively prevented these changes. The higher dose of ß-asarone (50mg/kg) showed a more pronounced protective effect, closely resembling the healthy liver tissue and outperforming both the lower dose and the standard silymarin treatment in reducing liver inflammation and damage. Conclusion: ß-asarone protects against paracetamol-induced liver damage, with the 50mg/kg dose proving most effective at normalizing liver enzymes and preserving liver structure.