TRIDAX PROCUMBENS ATTENUATES ACETAMINOPHEN – INDUCED FREE RADICAL REACTION AND CELL NECROSIS IN CULTURED MOUSE HEPATOCYTES

Drug-induced hepatotoxicity represents a major clinical problem and an impediment to new medicine development.   In vitro evaluation of hepatotoxicity is an essential stage in the research and development of new pharmaceuticals as the liver is one of the most commonly impacted organs during preclinical toxicity studies. The effect of an aqueous leaf extract of Tridax procumbens   was evaluated against acetaminophen-induced free radical reaction and liver cell necrosis in mouse primary hepatocyte culture. The liver was excised from the male albino mouse and cells were isolated and cultured. After monolayer developed, cells were treated with   acetaminophen   and different concentrations of Tridax procumbens aqueous extract. After the treatment for 3 to 24 h, free radical reaction, mitochondrial and extramitochondrial dehydrogenase activity, lactate dehydrogenase release, glutathione level, trypan blue uptake and haptocyte morphology were determined. Increased free radical reactions, LDH release, trypan blue uptake, liver cell necrosis and decreased levels of cellular glutathione, mitochondrial and extramitochondrial dehydrogenase activity were detected in acetaminophen-treated groups. Pretreatment of hepatocytes with Tridax procumbens extract caused attenuation of acetaminophen induced toxicity in various extents of oxidative stress, increased cell viability, glutathione level and mitochondrial and extramitochondrial dehydrogenase in a dose dependant manner.