Anti-inflammatory/anti-fibrotic effects of the hepatoprotective silymarin and the schistosomicide praziquantel against Schistosoma mansoni-induced liver fibrosis

Table 2 Effect of silymarin with/without praziquantel on liver function tests, 10 and 18 weeks post-infection of mice with S.mansoni

Animal groups	Serum ALT (U/L)		Serum albumin (g/dl)		Hepatic GSH (mg/g liver)
	10 wks	18 wks	10 wks	18 wks	10 wks	18 wks
Uninfected (vehicle)	22.62 ± 1.82	21.67 ± 0.93	3.75 ± 0.21	3.55 ± 0.23	6.00 ± 0.29	5.92 ± 0.26
Infected (Vehicle)	†† 40.71 ± 4.07	††† 32.57 ± 1.94	3.27 ± 0.10	†† 2.69 ± 0.07	††† 2.80 ± 0.22	††† 2.12 ± 0.21
Infected + PZQ	††‡ 30.57 ± 1.25	‡‡ 23.17 ± 1.76	3.35 ± 0.09	‡‡ 3.08 ± 0.07	†††‡ 3.40 ± 0.13	†††‡‡‡ 4.07 ± 0.29
Infected + silymarin	††† 39.75 ± 3.57	‡† 26.80 ± 2.00	3.22 ± 0.07	† 2.90 ± 0.05	††‡‡ 4.43 ± 0.32	†††‡‡ 3.18 ± 0.22
Infected + PZQ + silymarin	‡‡ 25.88 ± 1.41	‡‡‡ 19.75 ± 1.56	3.35 ± 0.12	‡ 3.17 ± 0.19	‡‡§§ 5.90 ± 0.68	†‡‡‡§ 4.99 ± 0.19

Data are presented as mean ± SEM (n = 8 in each group).
Mice were administered praziquantel (PZQ; 500 mg/kg/day for 2 days) in the 7^th week post infection (PI) and silymarin (750 mg/kg/day, 5 days/week for 6 weeks) at the 4^th and 12^th weeks PI for 6 weeks and were killed 10 and 18 weeks PI respectively.
ALT, Alanine aminotransferase; GSH, reduced glutathione.
† Significantly different from uninfected (vehicle) group at P < 0.05, †† at P < 0.01 and ††† at P < 0.001. ‡ Significantly different from infected (vehicle) group at P < 0.05, ‡‡ at P < 0.01 and ‡‡‡ at P < 0.001. § Significantly different from infected treated with PZQ group at P < 0.05 and §§ at P < 0.01.

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