Sensitive electrochemical and hepatoprotective assessment of polyphenols in Echinacea purpurea-based pharmaceutical products.

Abstract

This study utilizes a sensitive electrochemical method to investigate the polyphenolic content and antioxidant properties of three pharmaceutical products derived from Echinacea purpurea-Immunvita, Immulone, and C-Mune. An analytical evaluation was conducted with a glassy carbon electrode serving as the working electrode, a silver/silver chloride electrode as the reference, and a platinum wire as the counter electrode. Voltammetric analysis was employed to examine the characteristics of standard caffeic acid and the pharmaceutical samples within a citrate-phosphate electrolyte buffer. Results indicated a high antioxidant capacity and polyphenolic content within the products. Voltammetry proved to be an effective and sensitive approach for quantifying the total polyphenolic content and assessing the antioxidant activity of E. purpurea extracts. Furthermore, the hepatoprotective effects of these pharmaceuticals against lead acetate-induced liver injury were evaluated in Wistar rats. Fifty adult male rats were divided into five groups. Group I, the control; Group II was subjected to oral administration of 60 mg/kg body weight (B.W) of lead acetate for one week; Groups III, IV, and V received the same initial treatment as Group II, followed by a 10-day administration of 105 mg/kg BW Immunvita, 75 mg/kg BW Immulone, or 50 mg/kg BW C-Mune, respectively. Lead acetate ingestion elevated serum levels of alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT). Co-administration of the examined pharmaceuticals significantly mitigated the elevation of liver enzymes, demonstrating their potential for hepatoprotective effects. Serum ALT levels remained above control values after treatment, likely due to persistent hepatocyte injury or the limited duration of supplementation.