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Background/Aim: Paraoxonase 1 (PON1) is an esterase, exclusively synthesized by liver. The present study has two objectives: to determine the PON1 activity status in various disorders associated with hepatocellular damage and to correlate the changes of PON1 activity with the standard liver function and fasting lipid profile tests in these disorders. Patients and Methods: The study groups consisted of 95 patients with liver diseases including acute viral hepatitis (14), cirrhosis with portal hypertension (33), leptospirosis (14), sepsis and multi organ failure (15), left ventricular failure (9), and falciparum malaria (10); and 53 healthy controls. Serum PON1 activity was measured manually using spectrophotometer. Liver function test parameters and fasting lipid profile were performed in clinical chemistry auto analyzer (Hitachi 912). Results: The serum PON1 activity in patients with acute viral hepatitis and sepsis decreased significantly ( P < 0.001) and moderately in falciparum malaria ( P < 0.05). However, in patients with cirrhosis, leptospirosis and left ventricular patients, its activity did not change significantly. On applying Pearson correlation, serum PON1 activity correlated positively with high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) in patients with sepsis (r=0.633, P < 0.05), left ventricular failure patients (r=0.814, P < 0.05) and negatively with acute viral hepatitis patients (r=- 0.528, P < 0.05). Conclusion: PON1 activity has decreased significantly in acute viral hepatitis, sepsis with multi organ failure and falciparum malaria patients. Determination of PON1 activity may serve as a useful additional test in assessing these conditions.

Objectives: To study the hepatoprotective activity of aqueous extract of Aloe vera in paracetamol induced hepatotoxicity in albino rats. Methods: Hepatotoxicity was induced with a single dose of paracetamol 3g/kg orally. The curative and regenerative effect of Aloe vera on paracetamol induced hepatotoxicity was studied. N acetyl cysteine was used as standard treatment for hepatotoxicity in this study. The animals were divided into eight groups(n=6). First four groups received either vehicle (2% gum acacia), Aloe vera (250 mg/kg or 500 mg/kg ) or N- acetylcysteine ( 450mg/kg) single dose orally with paracetamol 3g/kg orally. The next four groups of animals received the same treatment for 7 days along with single dose of paracetamol 3g/kg orally. After the treatment period the blood samples were collected from orbital sinus and aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were estimated. Liver homogenates were used for estimation of tissue thiol levels. Results: Paracetamol in the dose of 3g/kg significantly elevated AST , ALT and ALP and depleted the liver thiol levels when compared with vehicle treated group. Single day treatment with the aqueous extract of Aloe vera in the dose of 250 and 500mg/kg reduced the AST, and ALT levels significantly (p<0.01). 500mg /kg of the extract also reduced the ALP levels and restored the depleted liver thiol levels significantly (p<0.01), however there was no effect on alkaline phosphatase and liver thiols by Aloe vera in the dose of 250mg/kg.Seven day treatment with both the doses of Aloe vera significantly reduced the levels of AST, ALT and ALP significantly (p<0.01) and restored the depleted liver thiol levels significantly (p<0.01). Surprisingly, Nacetylcysteine the drug used to treat paracetamol toxicity on single or seven day treatment reduced only AST and ALT levels with no effect on ALP and liver thiols. Conclusion: This study shows that the aqueous extract of Aloe vera has hepatoprotective activity [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]