Amelioration of acetaminophen induced hepatotoxicity by methanolic extract of pomegranate peels in rats

Objective: to observe the ameliorating effect by methanolic extract of pomegranate peel in acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity. methods: the randomised controlled study was conducted from july 2013 to june 2014 at the university of health sciences,lahore,pakistan,and comprised rats that were randomly divided into three equal groups. control group a was given normal saline (5ml/kg),whereas group b and c were given 750mg/kg acetaminophen intraperitoneally dissolved in normal saline (5ml/kg) on 1st day of experiment. from day 2 till day 14,group a and b were given distilled water (5ml/kg),while group c was given 50mg/kg methanolic extract of pomegranate peel dissolved in distilled water (5ml/kg) orally. on day 15,blood was collected through cardiac puncture,and livers were removed and processed for histological examination. results: there were 24 rats weighing 175±25gm each. each group had 8(33.3%) rats. mean liver aspartate aminotransferase at the end of the experiment in groups a,b and c were 97.88±19.45,148.25±16.48 and 96.13±17.95u/l,while alanine transaminase levels were 51.50±15.38,96.75±10.91 and 49.63±12.08 u/l (p<0.05 each) on histological examination of group b,the normal hepatic architecture was distorted with loss of classically arranged hepatic cords. vascular congestion was present with centrilobular necrosis,marked by pyknotic nuclei and vacuoles. conclusion: acetaminophen is hepatotoxic and methanolic extract of pomegranate peel ameliorated the hepatic picture probably because of its antioxidant properties. © 2016,pakistan medical association. all rights reserved.