ABSTRACT
The analgesic paracetamol causes a potentially fatal, hepatic centrilobular necrosis when taken in overdose. We aimed to assess the hepatoprotective effects of cranberry extract against paracetamol-induced hepatotoxicity in rats. Oral administration of cranberry extract at a concentration of 75 and 150 mg/kg b.w daily for 15 days showed a significant protection against-induced alteration in aspartate amino transferase (AST), alanine amino transferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities and concentrations of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), protein thiols (Pr-SHs), reduced glutathione (GSH), tumor nicrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and nitric oxide (NO), by paracetamol. The extract of cranberry significantly reduced the plasma levels of these elevated liver enzyme markers in a dose-dependent manner. Histopathological examination of liver tissues also showed hepatoprotective effects of cranberry in restoring normal functional ability of the liver. The results of our study strongly suggest that the extract of cranberry has strong hepatoprotective effects against paracetamol-induced liver injury, thereby scientifically affirming its traditional therapeutic role in liver injury.