Hepatotoxicity of Paraquat Dichloride and Amelioratve Efect of Nutritonal Supplements Cosmas O Ujowundu 1* , Linus A Nwaogu 1 , Favour N Ujowundu 2 , Nathan N. Oparaeche 3 and Ahmed O Oyarebu 3 , 1 Department of Biochemistry, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Nigeria 2 Department of Biochemistry, Madonna University, Nigeria 3 Department of Pharmaceutcal Chemistry, Madonna University, Nigeria * Corresponding author: Cosmas O Ujowundu, Department of Biochemistry, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Nigeria, Tel: +2348036683491; E-mail: ujowundu@yahoo.com Received Date: September 20, 2018; Accepted Date: November 03, 2018; Published Date: November 07, 2018 Citaton: Ujowundu CO, Nwaogu LA, Ujowundu FN, Oparaeche NN, Oyarebu AO (2018) Hepatotoxicity of Paraquat Dichloride and Amelioratve Efect of Nutritonal Supplements. Biochem Mol Biol J Vol. 4: No.3:21. Abstract This study determined the potental hepatotoxicity of Paraquat dichloride (PQ) and amelioratve efect of selected nutritonal supplements. Male Wistar albino rats were intraperitoneally administered sub-lethal concentraton of Paraquat dichloride (1.5 mg/kg body weight) at alternate days and concomitantly treated daily with nutritonal supplements (glutathione, vitamin C and garlic) for three weeks. Hepatotoxic and protectve efect of PQ and nutritonal supplements were respectvely determined by assay of serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) actvites, and determinaton of bilirubin, total protein, and albumin concentratons. Oxidatve stress and antoxidant status were determined by total antoxidant capacity, malondialdehyde, and glutathione concentratons. The result obtained showed that PQ administraton induced elevatons of AST, ALT and ALP actvites, increase in serum bilirubin, and signifcantly decreased albumin, indicatng hepatc dysfuncton. The signifcant increase in lipid peroxidaton product- malondialdehyde, and decrease in glutathione concentraton and total antoxidant capacity confrms the potental of PQ to induce oxidatve hepatc damage. However, oral administraton of vitamin C and garlic showed efectve protecton against paraquat induced toxicity. The mode of toxic acton of PQ and the biochemical role of vitamin C, garlic and glutathione were discussed in details. The results of this study indicate that vitamin C and garlic are important antoxidant in the treatment and management of PQ induced toxicity. Keywords: Paraquat dichloride; Toxicity; Vitamin C; Garlic; Liver functon; Oxidatve stress Introducton Paraquat dichloride (PQ) is a non-selectve contact herbicide for broadleaf weed control. It is used widely in modern agricultural practce worldwide and is emerging rapidly in Nigerian’s agricultural industry. Paraquat is not only toxic to plants but adversely afect human and farm animals [1,2] by accumulatng in the lungs, liver, kidneys and heart. Animal exposure occurs by accidental or intentonal swallowing, or through damaged skin or inhalaton. Studies on paraquat toxicity have shown that chronic exposure can lead to lung and liver damage, kidney failure, and Parkinsonian lesions in additon to fbrosis [3,4]. Paraquat toxicity occurs through excess producton of free radicals which results in oxidatve stress and damage [5,6]. This toxicity emanates from the redox cycle that generates superoxide radical (O 2•– ) that cascades to the producton of hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) and hydroxyl radical (HO – ). Oxidatve stress can damage molecular structures, cell functon, and is implicated in numerous pathological situatons. However, adverse impact of free radicals can be repaired by the body's natural defense system and/or antoxidants consumed in the diet. Garlic, glutathione and vitamin C are food and food components that have antoxidant potentals Garlic (Allium satvum) is an important food favour and is used in herbal remedies [7]. Garlic is a good source of selenium, iodine, arginine, Vitamin C and B6 [8], allicin, S- allylcysteine, and allylcysteine. Allicin is an organosulfur compound, unstable and quickly changes into a series of other sulfur-containing compounds such as Diallyl sulfde (DAS), diallyl trisulfde (DAT), and DAS, disulfde derivatves (DADS) etc. [9]. Allyl disulfde protects cells against microsomal lipid peroxidaton, allylcysteine are important hydroxyl radical ( • OH), and peroxyl radical (ROO • ) scavengers [10], and allicin can scavenge hydroxyl radicals and prevent lipid peroxidaton. Garlic organo sulfdes components (DAS, DADS and DAT) were shown to play a diferental modulatory role on the GSH related antoxidant system [11]. Futher more, garlic organo Research Article iMedPub Journals www.imedpub.com DOI: 10.21767/2471-8084.100070 Biochemistry & Molecular Biology Journal ISSN 2471-8084 Vol.4 No.3:21 2018 © Copyright iMedPub | This article is available from: http://biochem-molbio.imedpub.com/inpress.php 1