HEPATOPROTECTIVE EFFECT OF GUARANA POWDER (Paullinia cupana) IN PARACETAMOL-INDUCED INTOXICATION

The bioactive compounds present in foods of plant origin have shown great effect in the adjunctive or preventive treatment of several pathologies of great importance to public health, one of which is liver failure due to the high consumption of drugs, including paracetamol (APAP). High doses of APAP can promote hepatic accumulation of the highly toxic metabolite NAPQI, with consequent oxidative imbalance and liver failure. The consumption of guarana (Paullinia cupana), a fruit native to the Amazon region, rich in polyphenols and methylxanthines, could promote beneficial effects in this situation due to its antioxidant activity.