HEPATOTOXICITY EFFECTS OF AQUEOUS EXTRACT OF ECHIUM AMOENUM IN RATS

Summary Hepatotoxicity effects of Borago officinalis has been accepted due to pyrrolizidine alkaloid constituents. This study was performed to evaluate the hepatotoxicity effect of Echium amoenum, indigenous to Iran, in rats. Rats were divided into 8 groups (n=7/group). They were treated for 1 or 2 weeks with salin or E. amoenum at doses of 100, 200 or 400 mg/kg/day. Rat liver functions were assessed by serum biochemistry of analine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferases (AST) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP). Liver sections were stained with H&E for histopathological assessment. Serum levels of ALT and ALP were reduced significantly in both 1 and 2 weeks treated groups (p<0.05) compared to controls. ALT reductions were observed only in 2 weeks treated groups. All treated groups had a normal architecture of liver tissue. No sign of evidence of characteristic hepatotoxicity was found in rats treated with E. amoenum extract.