A Study of Histopathogical Examination of Alcohol Induced Hepato-Toxicity in Albino Rats and Protective Effect of Cuminum cyminum

Aim - To study the histopathology of Alcohol induced Hepato-toxicity in Albino Rats and the protective effect of Cuminum cyminum. Methodolgy - 15 adult albino rats were divided into three groups (n=5). (1) Group one served as experimental control and was fed water extract of cumin at a dose of 100 mg/kg body weight/ day. (2) Group two were exposed to 40 % ethanol continuously by means of intra-gastric feeding at a dose of (v/v) 1ml/ 100gm body weight/ day for 60days. (3) The third group received 40 % ethanol like second group for 60 days and then water extract of cumin at a dose of 100 mg/kg body weight/ day for another 60 days. Liver tissue samples were then collected from all the groups for histopathological study. Results - Liver sections from control rats showed normal hepatic cells with well-preserved cytoplasm, prominent nucleus, nucleolus, central vein and compact arrangement of hepatocytes. In contrast to this, Ethanol caused hydropic changes and necrosis in centrilobular hepatocytes. Congestion of the central vein and sinusoids were seen with acute inflammatory cells infiltrating mainly in the central zone. The midzonal and peripheral hepatocytes showed vacuolization and fatty change (steatosis) which included the intracellular accumulation of neutral fats. In animals treated with Ethanol plus C. cyminum, tissue damage and necrosis were of less extent than the Ethanol Treated Group. Conclusion - Treatment with cumin extract led to a significant attenuation of the liver injury induced by alcohol, in respect of regeneration, prevention and growth of hepatic cells. These effects may be due to the hepatoprotective property of cumin.