MODULATION OF ARSENIC INDUCED HEPATO-ENZYMATIC OXIDATIVE STRESS BY CURCUMA AROMATICA LEAF EXTRACT IN ALBINO RAT
Dr. Priya Bajaj* and Dr. Anjani Rani
ABSTRACT
Heavy metals have great ecological concern because of their bigger threat to mankind. Arsenic is one such well-known potent toxicant exposed naturally as well as anthropogenically. Groundwater arsenic contamination in exposed areas have groundwater arsenic content far away from WHO permitted maximum limit i.e. 10 ppb or 0.01 mg/ L. Arsenic contaminated water used for drinking, food preparation and irrigation of food crops poses the menacing threat to public health issues like keratosis, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and even cancers. The deleterious effects of arsenic toxicity and side effects of already available medicines led us to find out some dietary supplement cum herbal remedy against it. Leaf extract of Curcuma aromatica has been selected for this purpose on account of its renowned pharmacological activities. The LD50 of arsenic trioxide was estimated to be 14.98 mg/kg body weight. Acute (1 day) and sub-acute (7, 14 & 21 days) exposure of albino rats with sublethal doses of As2O3 resulted in damage of hepatocytes, which releases hepatic transaminases (AST, ALT), phosphatases (ALP, ACP) and dehydrogenase (LDH) in sinusoidal fluid. This significantly elevated the hepatic levels of aforesaid enzymes. Arsenic intoxication induces oxidative stress within hepatic tissues which is reflected by lower levels of antioxidant enzymes- SOD, CAT and GPx. Treatment with Curcuma aromatica leaf-extract (500 mg/kg body weight) following arsenic intoxication significantly reduced the hepatic enzyme levels to normalcy. Results reveal hepatoprotective effect of Curcuma aromatica in arsenic intoxicated rats due to its active ingredients terpenoids, exerting their potential as a future remedial agent against heavy metal toxicity.
Keywords: Arsenic, Curcuma aromatica, Transaminases, Phosphatases, Dehydrogenases, Antioxidant enzymes, Heavy metals.
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