Hesperidin alleviates acetaminophen induced toxicity in Wistar rats by abrogation of oxidative stress, apoptosis and inflammation.

Acetaminophen (APAP) is a widely used analgesic and antipyretic drug, but at high dose it leads to undesirable side effects, such as hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity. The present study demonstrates the comparative hepatoprotective and nephroprotective activity of hesperidin (HD), a naturally occurring bioflavonoid against APAP induced toxicity. APAP induces hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity as was evident by abnormal deviation in the levels of antioxidant enzymes. Moreover, APAP induced renal damage by inducing apoptotic death and inflammation in renal tubular cells, manifested by an increase in the expression of caspase-3, caspase-9, NFkB, iNOS, Kim-1 and decrease in Bcl-2 expression. These results were further supported by the histopathological examination of kidney. All these features of APAP toxicity were reversed by the co-administration of HD. Therefore, our study favors the view that HD may be a useful modulator in alleviating APAP induced oxidative stress and toxicity.