Abstract The liver is one of the most important organs in the body, performing a fundamental role in the regulation of diverse processes, among which the metabolism, secretion, storage, and detoxification of endogenous and exogenous substances are prominent. Due to these functions, hepatic diseases continue to be among the main threats to public health. Glucocorticoids are among the most utilized medications around the world, dexamethasone (DEX) is one of the most potent synthetic glucocorticoid that associated with several side effects especially on the liver. Many natural products and plant extracts become a new trend in the traditional and complementary medicines. Bee Venom (BV) and Echinacea Purpurea (EP) were used for their chemo-protective and immunomodulatory activities. Aims and Objectives: To study the protective effect of BV and EP and their combination on the liver status and liver cell energy against DEX treatment in adult female albino rats. Method: For performing the present work fifty-six adult female albino (150 ± 20 gm) were randomly divided into 7 groups (n=8). G1: control group; G2: treated with DEX (5mg i.p /kg BW/day) for three days; G3: orally treated with BV (150 µg/kg BW/day) for 28 days; G4: orally treated with EP (30 mg /kg B.W/day) for 28 days; G5: treated with both DEX+BV; G6: treated with both DEX+EP; G7: treated with DEX+BV+EP, all with the same aforementioned doses and durations. Liver injury was assessed biochemically and histologically. Results: Administration of DEX (5mg i.p /kg BW/day) for three days resulted in elevated liver enzymes, protein synthesis and reduction in liver cell energy. On the other hand oral administration of BVfor 28 days (150 µg/kg B.W/day) and EP (30 mg /kg B.W/day) for 28 days with DEX resulted in a great normalization in the levels of liver’s protein and significantly decreased ALT and AST serum levels as compared to DEX group. In addition, both BV and EP resulted in ameliorated effect on liver cell energy by increasing their levels in comparing with DEX group. Conclusion: The current findings suggested that both BV and EP or their combination, may exert beneficial protective effects against the negative deteriorative influences during DEX treatment through ameliorating liver status and liver cell energy prominence. In conclusion, treatment with DEX resulted in mild liver injuriousness, whose certain manifestations were alleviated on co-treatment with BV and EP biochemically and histologically. Based on these results, patients should be monitored periodically liver functions during DEX therapy.
Keywords Dexamethasone, liver, hepatoprotective, Echinacea Purpurea, Bee venom and liver cell energy.