RESUMO
The present study was designed to evaluate the hepatoprotective and antioxidant potentials of silibinin (SBN) against N-nitrosodimethylamine (DMN)-induced toxic insults in the rat liver. The liver damage was induced in Wistar albino rats by repeated administration of DMN (10 mg·kg(-1) b.w., i.p.) on 3 consecutive days per week for 3 weeks. SBN (100 mg·kg(-1) b.w., p.o.) was given daily to the DMN treated rats for two weeks. The marker enzymes of liver toxicity and second-line enzymic and non-enzymic antioxidants were evaluated in serum and liver tissues before and after SBN treatment. Histopathology of the liver was evaluated by H & E staining. The DMN treatment produced a progressive increase in all the serum marker enzymes (AST, ALT, ALP, LDH, and γ-GT), peaking on Day 21. This treatment produced highly significant decreases in all the second-line antioxidant parameters (GSH, GST, GR, GPx, and vitamins C and E). The SBN treatment significantly reversed the DMN-induced damages, towards normalcy. Histopathological studies confirmed the development of liver toxicity in DMN-treated rats, which was reversed by SBN treatment in corroboration with the aforementioned biochemical results, indicating the hepatoprotective and antioxidant properties of SBN. In conclusion, the DMN-induced degenerative changes in the liver were alleviated by SBN treatment and this protective ability may be attributed to its antioxidant, free radical scavenging, and membrane stabilizing properties.