Aristatile Balakrishnan, Al-Numair Khalid S, Veeramani Chinnadurai, Pugalendi Kodukkur Viswanathan
Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, Annamalai University, Annamalainagar-608 002, Tamilnadu, India.
J Basic Clin Physiol Pharmacol. 2009;20(1):15-27. doi: 10.1515/jbcpp.2009.20.1.15.
Carvacrol (2-methyl-5-(1-methylethyl)-phenol) is a predominant monoterpenic phenol occuring in many essential oils of the family Labiatae including, Origanum, Satureja, Thymbra, Thymus, and Corydothymus species. The present study was designed to investigate the effect of carvacrol on D-galactosamine (D-GalN)-induced hepatotoxicity in rats. D-GalN-hepatotoxic rats exhibited elevation in the serum bilirubin level and the activities of the hepatic marker enzymes aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, and gamma glutamyl transpeptidase. In the plasma, increased levels of very low density lipoprotein cholesterol and low density lipoprotein cholesterol and decreased high density lipoprotein cholesterol were observed. Further, an increase in the levels of total cholesterol, phospholipids, triglycerides, and free fatty acids in the plasma and tissues of liver and kidney were observed in hepatotoxic rats. The administration of carvacrol for 21 days prevented and improved these parameters toward normalcy. The results suggest that carvacrol affords a significant hepatoprotective and hypolipidemic effect against D-GalN-induced-rats.
香芹酚（2-甲基-5-（1-甲基乙基）-苯酚）是一种主要的单萜酚，存在于唇形科的许多精油中，包括牛至属、风轮菜属、百里香属、百里香属和岩生百里香属植物。本研究旨在探讨香芹酚对D-半乳糖胺（D-GalN）诱导的大鼠肝毒性的影响。D-GalN诱导肝毒性的大鼠血清胆红素水平升高，肝脏标志物酶天冬氨酸氨基转移酶、丙氨酸氨基转移酶、碱性磷酸酶和γ-谷氨酰转肽酶的活性升高。在血浆中，观察到极低密度脂蛋白胆固醇和低密度脂蛋白胆固醇水平升高，高密度脂蛋白胆固醇水平降低。此外，在肝毒性大鼠的血浆以及肝脏和肾脏组织中，总胆固醇、磷脂、甘油三酯和游离脂肪酸水平均升高。连续21天给予香芹酚可使这些参数恢复正常。结果表明，香芹酚对D-GalN诱导的大鼠具有显著的肝脏保护和降血脂作用。
