The effect of DDB pillules on experimentally induced hepatic toxicity :n rats was investigated in the present work. Two models of hepatic toxicity were induced, namely, paracetamol and galactosamine toxicity. The former represents the drug-induced toxicity while the later represents the biochemical and histopathological changes t-esembling those occurred in acute viral hepatitis in man.
30 male albino rats, weighting 120-150 grams, were utilized. Rats were divided into 5 equal groups, and all were fasted overnight prior to the study. Group 1, served as untreated control group . Groups 2,3 were subjected to paracetamol hepatic toxicity for 24 hours, by the intraperitoneal injection of 1 g/kg as a single dose . In groups 4,5 the hepatic toxicity was induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of 300 mg/kg D-galactosamine . Three days prior to the induction of hepatic toxicity, rats received three oral doses of 200 mg/kg DDB once daily in groups 3& 5 .
Blood samples were collected by the retro orbital method. Liver function was assessed by the determination of bilirubin concentration and both transaminases and alkaline phosphatase activities. Rats were sacrificed by decerebration and livers were removed for histopathological examination.
Results obtained in the present study revealed that DDB markedly protected the liver against both paracetamol as well as galactosamine induced hepatic toxicity as evidenced by the improved liver biochemical and histopathological finidings.