Fenugreek seeds, a hepatoprotector forage crop against chronic AlCl3 toxicity

Abstract

BackgroundHaving considered how bioavailable aluminium (Al) may affect ecological systems and animals living there, especially cattle, and in search for a preventive dietary treatment against Al toxicity, we aimed to test the protective role of fenugreek seeds against chronic liver injury induced by aluminum chloride (AlCl3) in Wistar rats.ResultsFive months of AlCl3 oral exposure (500 mg/kg bw i.g for one month then 1600 ppm via drinking water) caused liver atrophy, an inhibition of aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT) and glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), an enhancement of both lipid peroxidation and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity and an increase of total protein level in liver. Moreover, histopathological and histochemical examinations revealed moderate alterations in the hepatic parenchyma in addition to a disrupted iron metabolism. Co-administration of fenugreek seed powder (FSP) at 5% in pellet diet during two months succeeded to antagonize the harmful effects of AlCl3 by restoring all tested parameters.ConclusionThis study highlighted the hepatotoxicity of AlCl3 through biochemical and histological parameters in one hand and the hepatoprotective role of fenugreek seeds on the other hand. Thus this work could be a pilot study which will encourage farmers to use fenugreek seeds as a detoxifying diet supplement for domestic animals.

Exenatide Stimulates Hippocampal Autophagic Activity in Alzeheimer Rat Model

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Nutraceuticals in Hepatic Diseases

“…The seed and its extracts have shown antilipidemic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and hepatoprotective properties. In studies with rats, fenugreek and its extracts were protective against oxidative hepatotoxicity induced by ethanol, cadmium, thioacetamide and aluminum chloride (Shivashankara et al, 2012;Arafa et al, 2014;Zargar, 2014;Belaid-Nouira et al, 2013). In studies with rats, fenugreek and its extracts were protective against oxidative hepatotoxicity induced by ethanol, cadmium, thioacetamide and aluminum chloride (Shivashankara et al, 2012;Arafa et al, 2014;Zargar, 2014;Belaid-Nouira et al, 2013).…”