Therapeutic potential of caffeic acid and coumarin in modifying aluminum-induced hepatic injury in Wistar rats

Abstract

Antioxidants and phenolic compounds have always been tested as chemoprotective agents to regulate disease progression related to oxidative stress. Through this study, we investigate the possible corrective effects of caffeic acid and coumarin against aluminum- (Al-) induced stress response and liver damage in rats. Male Wistar rats were divided into four groups (10 rats per group), cotreated with caffeic acid (30 mg kg-1) and coumarin (5 mg kg-1) and exposed to aluminum (60 mg kg-1) for 45 days. Al induced significant alterations in body and liver weight over time. It also led to a marked increase in plasma levels of transaminases (aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase), alkaline phosphatase, and lactate dehydrogenase. Additionally, there was a substantial change in the lipid profile, characterized by elevated levels of triglycerides and total cholesterol in both serum and liver. Furthermore, the LDL-c level and the HDL-c/total cholesterol ratio in serum were also affected. In contrast, the levels of HDL-c in serum and phospholipids in liver tissues were reduced. The results of this study also showed increased levels of TBARS, protein carbonyls, nitrates/nitrites, and TNF-α. Conversely, the activity of antioxidant enzymes (catalase, GP-x, and SOD) was reduced. These altered parameters were restored after treating rats with caffeic acid and coumarin. Our study strongly suggests that caffeic acid and coumarin possess antioxidant properties and hepatoprotective capacity by attenuating aluminum toxicity-induced liver damage.