ABSTRACT
Objectives: To study the preventive effect of Thymus algeriensis essential oil (TAS) against hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced spleen toxicity in rats. Materials and Methods: Rats were treated with Hydrophobic fractions of Thymus algeriensis (180 mg/kg body weight, n=6), H2O2 (0.1, 1 mmol/L body weight, n=6) and the exposure to both drugs orally for 15 days. Histological examination was performed and the levels of biochemical parameters and lipid peroxides were determined. Results: In spleen tissue protein, catalase, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione (GST, GPx and GSH) levels were increased significantly (P<0.05) in the essential oil pretreated rats when compared to H2O2. TAS decreased the intracellular malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in spleen tissues. Vascular congestion was seen in spleen of high dose H2O2-treated rats and normal architecture of tissues was observed in other groups. Conclusion: The biochemical parameters and histopathology examination support the cytoprotective effect of Thyme which could be attributed to terpenes.
ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>This study was conducted to determine the histopathological and biochemical effects of Thymus algeriensis essential oil (TEO) on hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced oxidative stress in liver and kidney tissues of rats.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Rats were treated in six groups and were exposed for 2 weeks to low (LD; 100 μmol/L) and high doses (HD; 1 mmol/L) of H2O2 in the presence or absence of TEO (180 mg/kg). Liver and kidney atrophy was measured by using biochemical and histopathological assays.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Our study demonstrated that H2O2 induced liver and kidney atrophy, as evidenced by the significant elevation of serum aminotransferase, urea, and creatinine levels compared with those in the control rats. Urea levels were estimated by evaluating the activity of serum urease that hydrolyzes urea into CO2 and ammonia. However, TEO treatment significantly alleviated oxidative stress in the H2O2-induced liver and kidney toxicity model by reducing the levels of malondialdehyde concomitantly with marked elevations in superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione S-transferase, as well as decrease in glutathione activity.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Our data demonstrated that TEO protected against H2O2 toxicity by decreasing oxidant levels and DNA damage, as well as increasing antioxidant levels, indicating that TEO has a spectrum of antioxidant and DNA-protective properties.</p>