Noninvasive markers in monitoring hepatocellular damage: role of natural antioxidants: nigella sativa, honey and silymarin in treatment of hepatocellular damage

ABSTRACT

Liver fibrosis induced experimentally by using carbontetrachloride [CC14] as a toxic substance. To evaluate the treatment effects of some natural antioxidants such as Nigella sativa [N. sativa], Honey [H.] and Silymarin [S.] in CC14-induced liver fibrosis in rats, some biochemical markers such as glutathione-S-transferase [alpha-GST], Malonedialdehyde [MDA], Nitric oxide [NO] and matrix metalloproteinase [MMP-2] were determined and compared to the liver functions [ALT and AST] and Hemoglobin [Hb]. 100 rats were divided into 20 normal rats served as control, 20 rats injected 1 mg/kg/day CC14 intrapretonially 3 times a week for 8 weeks, 60 rats divided equally into 3 subgroups subjected to the same injection plus oral administration of 50 mg/kg/ day N. sativa, H. and S. daily for another 4 weeks. alpha-GST, MDA, NO and MMP-2 were estimated by enzyme immunoassay and ALT, AST and Hb were estimated by colorimetric assay. Statistical program SPSS, VI2 was used for data analysis. The results showed a significant increase [P<0.05] in alpha-GST, MDA and NO and high significant increase [P<0.01] in MMP-2 in rats group administered CC14 as compared to normal control. The results matched the role of S. in the treatment of hepatic fibrosis and revealed the role of N.sativa as treatment agent by improvement in ALT and AST, enhance antioxidant capacity by significant decrease [P<0.05] in alpha-GST and NO, improvement in general health by high significant increase [P<0.01] in Hb, enhanced antifibrotic response by high significant decrease [P<0.01] in MMP-2 and decrease in lipid peroxidation by significant decrease [P<0.05] in MDA compared to CC14 group. Although H. showed the least effective ability for treatment of liver fibrosis, it appeared to improve liver functions. The histological results were found to be matched with the biochemical results. This work proved that one of the mechanisms involved in the process of liver fibrogenesis induced by CC14 is the development of oxidative stress and fibrotic response, the determined biochemical markers proved to be good markers for the detection of hepatocellular damage and documented also that N. sativa and H. can be used effectively as tools in the treatment of hepatic injury without any fear of complications