Processes that contribute to the normal physiology of the human body are carefully regulated. The vulnerable nature of the human body is strongly protected by different mechanisms. Both mechanical and chemical phenomena protect the physiology against any abnormality. The barrier created through various protective layers of skin contributes to mechanical protection. The chemical phenomena are more vast. Each process is protected at molecular level by humoral and cell mediated immunity.
Harmful waste materials are regularly cleared out of circulation. Waste materials from tissues are excreted into circulation for removal by the process of diffusion. These molecules require chemical processing before heading towards the kidney for excretion. Liver is the main organ responsible for major chemical processes in the body. Glucose metabolism, plasma protein synthesis and detoxification are carried out in the liver. These processes contribute to stability of blood sugar levels and blood composition.
The role of detoxification poses liver to various health risks. Ingested materials are broken down and the resultant products move to the liver through portal circulation. Taste buds in the mouth protect against physically harmful substances in food such as stones. Microorganisms vulnerable to acid secretion in the stomach are eliminated by it. There are a number of substances that pass the protective mechanisms of the gastrointestinal system to reach the liver. Alcohol and high dose toxic medications are the leading causes of liver injury and pathology.
Pharmaceutical drugs are an essential part of most diseases’ treatment regimens. Drugs vary in their types for different diseases. The dose is also adjusted according to disease severity. Some medications are known to cause liver toxicity especially in high doses. The toxic nature of such drugs limits their use for treatment. The side effects outweigh the therapeutic effects.
Traditionally medicinal plants have been used in daily remedies. Increasingly plant derived substances are being used in pharmaceutical industries to reduce side effects.
Goze Nomane Bernard and his team studied the neutralizing effect of Terminalia superba on paracetamol induced toxicity. The experiments were conducted on male and female albino rats in the Laboratory of Physiology, Pharmacology and Pharmacopoeia. The research showed curative effects of total aqueous extract of T. superba (TAETs). The team published the research article in the Journal of Pharmacology and Toxicology.
COMMENTS