Effect of Oral Administration of Syzygium cumini Seed Powder on the Hepatic Function-related Enzymes of the Alcoholic Transport Laborers

Abstract

Background: Syzygium cumini (locally known as Kalo Jam) seed powder is being used as folk medicine in various diseases since unknown times in Bangladesh. However, data on the systematic studies in human subjects are rare. Objective: To determine the effect of Syzygium cumini seed powder on the hepatic function-related enzymes of the alcoholic transport laborers. Methods: Here, we investigated the effects of oral administration of Syzygium cumini seed powder on hepaticfunction markers that included activities of Gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and renal-function markers such as creatinine and urea along with lipid profile, blood pressure and body mass index (BMI) upon chronic alcoholic human volunteers. Results: The levels of serum ALT, AST and GGT levels decreased, respectively, by 15.0, 8.5 and 23.0% after oral administration of the S. cumini powder in the alcoholic subjects. However, the levels of creatinine and urea were not altered significantly. In contrast, the effects of administration of S. cumini on the hepatic ALT, AST and GGT enzymes in the non-alcoholic control subjects were less prominent than those found in the alcoholic subjects. Blood pressure decreased only by 5-4 mmHg, while BMI was not altered in either the alcoholic or the non-alcoholic groups. Furthermore, there were significant reduction in the levels of TC (by 10%) and LDL-C (by >20%) and elevation of HDL-C (by 11%) in the S. cumini-prescribed alcoholic subjects. TC and LDL-C levels also decreased in the non-alcoholic subjects, but the rate was not statistically significant. Conclusions: Our results suggest that S. cumini seed extract ameliorated GGT, ALT and the atherosclerotic lipid parameters TC and LDL-C without having a significant side effect on the kidney functions, as indicated by the unaltered levels of serum creatinine levels in the alcoholic human subjects without any effect on BP and BMI of the same subjects. Thus, alcohol drinkers can be advised to intake S. cumini seed powder to protect against the oxidative hepatic damage. Bangladesh Medical Res Counc Bull 2022; 48: 97-104