Protective Effect of L-Carnitine and Coenzyme Q10 on CCl4-Induced Liver Injury in Rats

Abstract

This study provides an information about the mechanisms of liver injury induced by CCl4, and determines the influence of administration of L-carnitine or/and CoQ10 as prophylactic agents against CCl4 deteriorative effect. The study was carried out on 80 adult male albino rats divided into eight groups, 10 animals each, as follows: four normal groups (control, treated with L-carnitine, treated with CoQ10, and treated with a combination of Lcarnitine and CoQ10) and four liver injury groups treated with CCl4 (control, treated with L-carnitine, treated with CoQ10, and treated with a combination of L-carnitine and CoQ10). Liver injury was induced by s.c. injection of a single dose of CCl4 (1 ml/kg). L-carnitine (50 mg/kg/day) was given i.p. for four successive days 24 hours before CCl4 injection, and CoQ10 (200 mg/kg) was given as a single i.p. dose 24 hours before CCl4 injection. Animals were sacrificed 24 hours after CCl4 injection, blood samples were withdrawn and liver tissue samples were homogenized. The levels of the following parameters were determined: hepatic reduced glutathione, serum ALT and AST, hepatic lipid peroxides, hepatic vitamin C, hepatic and serum total protein, serum albumin, serum sialic acid, serum nitrite, and serum and hepatic total LDH activities and LDH isoenzymes. The obtained data revealed that CCl4 injection produced a significant decrease in reduced glutathione content, vitamin C, total protein and albumin levels. However, there was a significant increase in serum ALT and AST activities, lipid peroxides, sialic acid, nitric oxide, serum and hepatic total LDH activities. On the other hand, groups treated with L-carnitine or/and CoQ10 prior to CCl4 injection showed an improvement in most parameters when compared with cirrhotic control group. It has been concluded that L-carnitine and coenzyme Q10 have a pronounced prophylactic effect against liver damage induced by halogenated alkanes such as carbon tetrachloride.

Effects of coenzyme Q10 supplementation on the anthropometric variables, lipid profiles and liver enzymes in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

“…In the current study we observed significant decrease in serum AST concentrations in CoQ10 treated group; in a study, administration of 200 mg/kg CoQ10 as a single dose in cirrhotic rats, reduced serum ALT and AST activities (p<0.05) (Ali et al, 2010). Other studies also reported same results in experimental models (JimenezSanto et al, 2014;Othman et al, 2008).…”

“…In another study, administration of 200 mg/kg CoQ10 in cirrhotic rats improved liver enzyme activities compared with control group (Ali et al, 2010). Other animal studies have also confirmed these findings (Sumimoto et al, 1987;Amimoto et al, 1995;Jimenez-Santo et al, 2014) .…”

Iron deposition causes oxidative stress, inflammation and fibrosis in carbon tetrachloride-induced liver dysfunction in rats

“…In the present study the hepatotoxic effects of CCl4 were detected by significant elevation in liver enzymes (AST, ALT, and alkaline phosphatase) activities. Several authors have reported a significant increase in liver enzymes in rats subjected to CCl4 intoxication (El-Khatib and Mansour, 2001;Ali et al, 2010). Necrosis or membrane damage in liver releases these enzymes into circulation and hence it can be measured in plasma or serum.…”

Efficiency of hepatocyte pretreatment with coenzyme Q10 against statin toxicity

“…Ali et al (33) have shown that L-carnitine and CoQ 10 have a pronounced prophylactic effect against liver damage induced by halogenated alkanes such as carbon tetrachloride (CCl 4 ). In that study, the investigators pretreated rats with CoQ 10 24 h before the administration of CCl 4 .…”