Protective effect of Amaranthus lividus L. on carbon tetrachloride induced hepatotoxicity in rats

Abstract

March 5, 2015] and evaporated to dryness under reduced pressure in a rotary evaporator (Buchi R210, Switzerland). The water extract of A. lividus was yielded a dark-brown solid residue, weighing 26 g (26%, w/w) which was stored at -20 o C. A. lividus is generally cooked with water before being consumed, for this reason water extract of A. lividus was used in this study. AnimalsMale albino Wistar rats (180-280 g) were obtained from the Institute of Experimental Medicine of Istanbul University and acclimatized to their environment for one week prior to experimentation. The animals were housed in an air-conditioned room with a 12 h light/dark cycle at controlled temperature and humidity conditions and supplied with standard laboratory diet and tap water ad libitum. The experimental procedure used in this study was approved by the Animal Assays Ethics Committee of Istanbul University (No:18527/16.07.2007). TreatmentsThe water extracts of A. lividus at 250 and 500 mg/kg [9] and the standard hepatoprotective drug silymarin (25 mg/ kg) [10] were administered orally as a fine suspension in carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC, 0.1%, w/v). These solutions were freshly prepared at each day of process. Liver damage was induced by intraperitoneal (i.p.) administration of a single dose of an equal mixture of CCl 4 and olive oil (1.5 mL/kg) [11]. The CCl 4 mixture was prepared immediately before treatment.Male albino Wistar rats were randomly divided into 7 groups. Group I, II and III served as control groups (n=5) which received orally CMC (4 mL/kg), A. lividus (500 mg/kg) and silymarin (25 mg/kg), respectively, daily for 9 days. Group IV, V, VI and VII served as experimental groups (n=7) which received orally CMC (4 mL/kg), A. lividus (250 mg/kg), A. lividus (500 mg/kg) and silymarin (25 mg/kg), respectively, daily for 9 days. On the 10th day, rats in the experimental groups (IV-VII) were treated with CCl 4 (1.5 mL/kg, 1:1 in olive oil, i.p.) while rats in the control groups (I-III) were treated with olive oil (1.5 mL/kg, i.p.). 24 h after CCl 4 administration, the animals were anesthetized with diethyl ether and sacrificed by collecting blood via cardiac puncture. Blood was allowed to coagulate for 30 min and serum was separated by centrifugation at 1,016 x g for 5 min at 4 o C. Serum was kept at -85 o C until it was used in further biochemical assays. Livers were quickly excised and washed in 0.9% NaCl to remove as much blood as possible and then tissue samples were immediately frozen at -85 o C for later use. The right upper lobe of the liver of each animal was used for the biochemical and histopathological analysis. Serum biochemical assayAlanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activities were assayed in the serum