Ameliorative effects of pomegranate on carbon tetrachloride hepatotoxicity in rats: A molecular and histopathological study

Abstract

The present study aimed to investigate the molecular mechanism underlying the hepatoprotective effects of pomegranate (POM) against oxidative stress in a rat model of carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced liver damage. Injection of rats with CCl4 resulted in hepatic inflammation and lipid accumulation via the upregulation of interleukin (IL)‑6 and sterol regulatory element‑binding protein 1c (SREBP‑1c) mRNA expression. CCl4 induced downregulation of the anti‑inflammatory factors alpha 2‑macroglobulin (α‑2M) and IL‑10 in comparison with the POM treated group. In addition, CCl4 induced downregulation of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione S‑transferase (GST) and catalase (CAT) expression. Conversely, prior administration of POM counteracted the deleterious alterations induced by CCl4. POM downregulated CCl4-induced IL‑6 upregulation, normalized the increase in SREBP‑1c expression, and prevented CCl4‑induced α‑2M downregulation. POM counteracted CCL4‑induced alterations via immunosuppressive, anti‑inflammatory and regenerative effects by upregulating transforming growth factor‑β1, HSP70 and IL-10 mRNA expression. In addition, POM increased reactive oxygen species scavenging activity by augmenting the antioxidant defense mechanism against CCl4 hepatotoxicity, as demonstrated by detecting SOD, CAT and GST expression. These results confirm that, at the molecular level, POM exerts hepatoprotective effects against CCl4‑induced oxidative stress and liver tissue damage.

Effect of co-administration of Bee honey and some chemotherapeutic drugs on dissemination of hepatocellular carcinoma in rats

“…This can find good support in the recent study of DEN/CCl4 Zhang et al [55] who reported that DEN via interaction with strategic macromolecules such as antioxidant enzymes, DNA, lipids, and DNA repairing system enzymes can induce HCC. Moreover, it is well accepted that CCl4 biotransformation by the help cytochrome P-450 usually converted to trichloromethyl free radical (CCl 3 *), and trichloromethyl proxy free radical (CCl 3 OO*) as two metabolites related to ROS generation, lipid peroxidation, and decrease of CAT, SOD, GST, and GPx enzymatic activities [[56], [57], [58]]. Moreover, the reported data are in concomitant with the previous study of Hussein & and Khalifa and Kadasa et al [59,60] who indicated significant reduction of antioxidant enzyme activities and their relative gene expression in DEN-induced rats comparing to control.…”

Effect of Taraxacum officinale extract on PI3K/Akt pathway in DMBA-induced breast cancer in albino rats

“…After washing with PBS, sections were incubated with a goat anti-rabbit IgG biotin-conjugated secondary antibody (1:2,000; sc 2040; Santa Cruz Biotechnology, Inc., Dallas, TX). After incubation with horseradish peroxidase-labeled streptavidin, antibody binding was visualized using diaminobenzidine, and sections were counterstained with hematoxylin [22].…”

The Conquering influence of the Nano extracts of pomegranate peels and pistachio leaves in amelioration of acute liver failure

“…However, in our study down regulation of HSP70 expression level was achieved by each extracts (Pomo and Pistachio) by different percentages (Table 3, fig.9), but again pistachio extract in its nano form was the most powerful as an anti-inflammatory compared to pomegranate. This is may be interpreted upon the powerful flavonoids beside other phenolic compounds benzoic acid, and hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives, that have antioxidant properties exist in the nano pistachio to induce strong HSP70 immunoreactivity , prevent protein denaturation and succeeded to overcome TAA induced liver damage [91,92] .…”