Acetaminophen-induced liver and kidney injuries in mice: treatment with Alpinia officinarum rhizome

Paracetamol (acetaminophen) is widely used around the world as both an analgesic and antipyretic medication. It is effective and safe when taken in therapeutic doses; however, overdosing can result in liver and kidney toxicity in both humans as well as animals. Medicinal plants are important sources of nutrition and healthcare for humans, and many of them have demonstrated protective effects against liver and kidney injuries. This research investigates the liver and kidney protective effects of various Alpinia officinarum (galangal, I) extracts in mice exposed to acetaminophen. Specifically, it examines the effects of extracts obtained using different solvents, including polar and nonpolar organic solvents and aqueous solutions. The study’s findings indicated that essential oil, hydroethanolic, and chloroform extracts have the most significant protective effects on the liver and kidney. These protective effects may attributed to the presence of flavonoids, alkaloids, terpenoids, fatty acids, and phytosterols in these extracts. In conclusion, essential oil, hydroethanol, and chloroform used for the extraction of galangal rhizome effectively isolated various bioactive components, which provided substantial protection against the liver and kidney injuries caused by paracetamol in mice.