Antioxidant and hepatoprotective effects of grape seed extract on carbon tetra chloride-induced hepatotoxicity in rats

ABSTRACT

In the present study, protective effects of grape seed extract [GSE] have been evaluated on carbon tetrachloride [CCI[4]]-induced hepatotoxicity in rats. Forty Sprague Dawley rats were divided into five groups. Group I was used as control and received liquid paraffin [1 ml/kg, i.p.]. Rats in group H were injected every other day with CCI[4] [1 ml/kg body weight, i.p.] for 1 month, whereas rats in group III were pretreated orally with GSE [500 mg/kg, p.o.] 7 days before CCI[4] injection every other day for 1 month. Groups IV and V were prophylactically treated with GSE [500 mg/kg, p.o.] and silymarin [25 mg/kg, p.o.] for 1 month, respectively. At the end of the experiment, all animals were killed by decapitation and blood samples were obtained. Serum aspartate aminotransferase [AST], alanine aminotransferase [ALT], alkaline phosphatase [ALP], gamma glutamyl transferase [gamma GT], total and conjugated bilirubin levels were determined. Hepatic thiobarbituric acid reactive substances [FBARS, as index of lipid peroxidation] content, reduced glutathione [GSH] and the activities of enzymatic antioxidants; glutathione peroxidase [GSH-Px], superoxide dismutase [SOD] and catalase were determined. For histopathological evaluation, livers of all rats were removed and processed for light microscopy. All biochemical parameters in serum and the hepatic TBARS were significantly higher while enzymatic antioxidants, GSH-Px, SOD, catalase and hepatic GSH were significantly lower in animals treated with CCI[4] than in the controls. Rats treated with CCI[4] and GSE showed a significant reduction in biochemical parameters in serum and hepatic TBARS content Silymarin used as reference standard also exhibited significant hepatoprotective activity against CCI[4]. Livers of rats treated with CCI[4] showed classic histology of cirrhosis, whereas the histopathological changes were reduced after administration of CCI[4] and GSE. Results of this study revealed that GSE could afford a significant protection against CCI[4]-induced hepatotoxicity. GSE had a similar protective effect when compared with silymarin.