Hepatoprotective effect of royal jelly, grape seed extract, and Lycium barbarum against diethylnitrosamine-induced liver toxicity in rats

Abstract

Aim: We aimed to investigate, the effects of royal jelly (RJ), grape seed extract (GSE), and Lycium barbarum extract (LBAE) against diethylnitrosamine (DEN) induced hepatotoxicity, in experimental animal model. Material and Methods: Fifty female Sprague Dawley rats were divided into five groups (n=10): Control, DEN, DEN+RJ, DEN+GSE, DEN+LBAE. DEN administrated groups were intraperitoneally (i.p.) injected with three separate administration of DEN (200 mg/kg), on the zero, fifteenth and thirtieth treatment day. Then 100 mg/kg of RJ was given to DEN+RJ group, 100 mg/kg of GSE was given to DEN+GSE group, and 400 mg/kg LBAE was given to DEN+LBAE group with the daily drinking water from day 0 for 16 weeks. Histopathologic alterations including apoptotic changes of liver were evaluated. Results: RJ, GSE, and LBAE treatments significantly reduced weight loss induced by DEN. DEN administrated rats significantly increases malondialdehyde (MDA) level. It also efficiently decreases glutathione (GSH) level and catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity. These results were significantly ameliorated by dietary supplements (p<0.05). In addition, they increased the total antioxidant status (TAS) level and decreased serum oxidative stress index (OSI), total oxidant status (TOS), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) levels significantly (p<0.05). TUNEL positive cells were extremly pervasive in the livers of DEN group. Conclusion: Improvements were prominent in case of RJ > GSE > LBAE. Our results indicated that RJ, GSE and LBAE might be useful for prevention of hepatotoxicity induced by DEN via ameliorative effects on biochemical and oxidative stress indices