Abstract

Bruno Aholoukpe, Patrick Makoutodé, Alioun Adéchoubou

Alcohol is widely abused as a psychoactive drug. Emblica officinalis is known for its therapeutic effects and the present study is aimed at investigating therapeutic efficacy of aqueous extract of Emblica officinalis (AEEO) against alcohol-induced damage. Thirty three percent (v/v) alcohol (10 g/kg body weight) and AEEO (250 mg/kg body weight/day) was orally administered once a day for 60 days. Chronic alcohol feeding resulted in higher activities of the alcoholic plasma marker enzyme gamma glutamyl transferase ( GT) and abnormalities in plasma lipid and lipoproteins, minerals as well as activities of plasma transaminases (AST and ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). Chronic alcohol administration significantly lowered the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and the content of reduced glutathione (GSH) in erythrocytes. The AEEO supplementation to chronically alcohol fed rats beneficially modulated plasma lipids and lipoprotein patterns, minerals, and vitamin C and also corrected zigzags in plasma enzyme activities and improved antioxidant and defense enzyme machinery status. However, AEEO supplementation resulted in a significant increase in GSH content and the activities of SOD, CAT and GPx. AEEO can contribute to the alleviation of alcohol induced adverse effects by enhancing the status of antioxidant defense system and by regulating lipid and mineral metabolism.