Mohamed NA, Hashem MAM, Alzahrani AM, Abdel-Moneim AM, Abdou HM. Hepatoprotective effect of Spirulina platensis against carbon tetrachloride-induced liver injury in male rats.
J Pharm Pharmacol 2021;
73:1562-1570. [PMID:
34387320 DOI:
10.1093/jpp/rgab107]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2021] [Accepted: 07/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES
Spirulina platensis (SP) is an edible Cyanobacterium with ethnomedicinal significance. This study aims at evaluating the beneficial effect of SP against carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced liver toxicity in male rats.
METHODS
Rats received intraperitoneal injections of CCl4 (2 ml/kg body weight [b.w.] per every other day) for 40 days, alone or in combination with oral treatments of SP (400 mg/kg b.w. per day).
KEY FINDINGS
SP attenuated haematological disturbances, serum liver markers, hepatic necrosis and inflammation, and dyslipidemia in CCl4-intoxicated rats. SP also reduced CCl4-induced oxidative stress by increasing the activities of antioxidant enzymes, such as glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase and catalase and glutathione content, and inhibiting lipid peroxidation products and nitric oxide levels in the rat liver. Further investigations revealed that SP counteracted CCl4-induced increased hepatic levels of Ki-67 (a parameter of cell proliferation), interleukin-6, and tumour necrosis factor-alpha and cyclooxygenase-2 messenger RNA expression. Noticeably, the supplementation of SP restored the decrease of proapoptotic p53 protein levels in the liver of rats treated with CCl4.
CONCLUSIONS
SP prevented liver damage in CCl4-treated rats via augmentation of antioxidant defense mechanisms and inhibition of inflammatory cytokines/mediators and antiproliferative effects.
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