Background/Objective: Hepatic drug intoxication is becoming increasingly common with the increasing use of chronic medications. Piperine has emerged as a promising alternative for protecting the liver against drug-induced injury. We evaluated the prophylactic effects of piperine in C57BL/6 mice with an acute liver injury induced by a paracetamol (APAP) overdose. Methods: Piperine was administered at a dose of 20 mg/kg (P20) or 40 mg/kg (P40) for eight consecutive days before the animals were exposed to a hepatotoxic dose of paracetamol (500 mg/kg). The animals were euthanized 3 h after the paracetamol overdose. Results: The prophylactic treatment with piperine (P20 and P40) maintained the levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and the biomarkers of oxidative damage (TBARS and carbonylated proteins), which were statistically similar to those for the control group. The extent of hepatocyte necrosis and TNF-α (tumor necrosis factor-alpha) levels were lower than those in the group exposed to liver injury (APAP group). Piperine modulated the gene expression of CYP2E1 (cytochrome P4502E1) and the inflammasome pathway (NLRP3, CASP-1, IL-1β, and IL-18), which play a crucial role in the inflammatory response. In the P40 group, the degree of hepatic hyperemia was similar to that in the control group, as was the increase in metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) activity. Conclusion: Piperine has demonstrated beneficial and promising effects for the prevention of liver injury resulting from paracetamol-induced drug intoxication.
Keywords: acetaminophen; hepatic drug intoxication; hepatic protection; liver injury; paracetamol; piperine.