The effect of capsaicin and diethylnitrosamine on mouse nephrotoxicity, hepatotoxicity and hepatocarcinogenesis

Abstract

Diethylnitrosamine is well known for its toxic and carcinogenic properties affecting mainly liver and kidneys. Capsaicin has been proven in previous years as a promising protective agent against many health problems affecting modern people. In this study we used diethylnitrosamine induced mouse experimental model of liver and kidney damage to assess the potential chemopreventive effect of capsaicin in vivo. Fifty female ICR mice were randomly divided into five groups intraperitoneally administered 1% ethanol solution in controls, capsaicin to assess its toxicity, diethylnitrosamine alone, and diethylnitrosamine and capsaicin in combination in different manners in two groups. After 14 weeks all mice were sacrificed, complete necropsy was performed and liver and kidneys were used for further examination. Slides of both organs stained with haematoxylin and eosin were histologically evaluated and immunohistochemical detection of proliferating cell nuclear antigen and glutamine synthetase in the liver tissue was performed. Histological evaluation of the liver and kidneys revealed toxic damage of diethylnitrosamine treated animals, whereas mice that received the combination of the substances showed milder lesions. Proliferating cell nuclear antigen expression was lower in diethylnitrosamine treated animals compared to the control and capsaicin groups, pointing to a disruption of the proliferative activity of hepatocytes in the juvenile liver. Glutamine synthetase expression did not differ between the groups, indicating that no tumours were induced by any of the substances used in our study. In conclusion, our experiment demonstrated the toxic properties of diethylnitrosamine in mice liver and kidneys, with the promising beneficial effect of capsaicin.