Protective Efficacy of Emodin against γ-Rays Induced Acute Hepatorenal Injury in Rats

 EMODIN(C16H12O5), an active principle extracted from Rheum palmatum. Its protective effect was evaluated against γ-rays-induced biochemical alterations in rats.
The purpose of recent study is to demonstrate protective efficacy of emodin against γ-rays induced acute hepatorenal injury in rats.
γ-irradiation (6 Gy) caused significant elevation in the release of serum alanine and aspartate transaminases, (ALT & AST), alkaline phosphatase (SALP), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), bilirubin (Br) and glucose (Gu) with concomitant decrease in haemoglobin (Hb) after 24 h of its exposure.
Toxicant exposure intensified the lipid peroxidation (LPO, measured as MDA units), total cholesterol (TC) and activity of acid phosphatase (TAC) and altered glutathione status (GSH), activities of adenosine triphosphatase (ATP), alkaline phosphatase (TALP), glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) as well as major cellular constituents; total proteins (TP) and glycogen (Gn) in liver and kidney, compared to control measures.
Emodin, oral treatment, significantly lessened the toxicity by protecting γ-rays-induced alterations in various blood and tissue biochemical variables, compared to irradiated groups.
Thus, the study concluded that emodin at a dose of 40 mg/ kg body wt possesses optimum hepatorenal protective ability in γ-irradiated toxicant rats.