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Title
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Effects of vitamin C and -carotene pre-treatment on liver damage caused by short-term administration in rats
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Author
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Abstract
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| The protective role of antioxidant vitamins on drug/alcohol induced liver injury is increasingly being demonstrated in animal models, thus lending substantive support for the use of vitamin supplements in humans. The effects of vitamin C and β-carotene in modulating liver damage caused by CCl4 (carbon tetrachloride) poisoning in rats were recently examined. Thirty two male albino rats were allocated to 4 groups: Group 1 received intramuscular (IM) injections of saline daily; Group 2 was injected intraperitoneally (IP) with CCl4 every third day for 3 weeks; Groups 3 and 4 were treated with daily IM injections of vitamin C and β-carotene, respectively, starting 5 days before co-administration with CCl4. Compared to group 2, alanine aminotransferase was lower in groups 3 and 4 without, however, reaching statistical significance (respectively, p=0.066 and 0.139), whereas gamma glutamyltransferase level and total bilirubin concentration in the same groups were significantly lower (p<0.001). Vitamin C pre-treatment in group 3 caused significantly lower histology scores (p<0.05) for necrosis, steatosis and fibrosis as compared to untreated group. β-Carotene pretreatment exhibited no significant effect. These results suggest that prophylactic doses of vitamin C are largely protective against short term chemical liver injury in rats, but in the same setting, we found β-carotene less protective. |
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Language
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English
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Source (journal)
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International journal of biological and chemical sciences
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Publication
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2011
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Volume/pages
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5
:2
(2011)
, p. 824-834
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Full text (publisher's version - intranet only)
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