¹Department of Pharmacology, Kafkas University, Faculty of Medicine, TR-36100 Kars - TURKEY
²Department of Biology, Kafkas University, Faculty of Science, TR-36100 Kars - TURKEY
³Department of Pathology; Recep Tayyip Erdogan University, Faculty of Medicine, TR-53100 Rize - TURKEY DOI : 10.9775/kvfd.2018.19855 Punica granatum seed oil enriched by punikalagins has been shown to have a therapeutic effect against antidiabetic, anticancer, antiinflammatory and some organ toxicities. We aimed to reveal both protective and therapeutic effects of punica granatum seed oil, which has strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity on paracetamol-induced hepatic toxicity via biochemically, molecularly and pathologically in our study. Our study, 64 albino wistar rats were fasted for 24 h and then divided into 8 equal groups. Group 1: Healthy, Group 2: 2 g/kg of paracetamol (2a: 24 h, 2b: 48 h) (orally), Group 3: 140 mg/kg of n-acetylcysteine (orally) + paracetamol, Group 4: 0.32 mg/mL Punica granatum (i.p) + paracetamol, Group 5: 0.64 mg/mL Punica granatum + paracetamol, Group 6: Paracetamol + 0.32 mg/mL Punica granatum, Group 7: Paracetamol + 0.64 mg/mL Punica granatum, Group 8: Paracetamol + 140 mg/kg n-acetylcysteine. The study was terminated at 24 and 48 h after paracetamol administration. Serum ALT and AST levels were significantly increased at 24th and 48th h of paracetamol administration according to toxicity. While malondialdehyde, CYP2E1 and TNF-α levels also increased in the liver, superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase levels decreased significantly. Increased ALT, AST levels with malondialdehyde and TNF-α levels significantly decreased by punica granatum seed oil (low doses) application and antioxidant levels were also significantly improved. Punica granatum seed oil may be used as a potential therapeutic agent in the future by strengthening the antioxidant system and preventing inflammation, especially liver toxicity due to overdose of paracetamol in suicide- battered individuals. Keywords : Rat, Paracetamol, Toxicity, Liver, Punica granatum