Antifibrotic effects of peels through stimulation of hepatic stellate cell apoptosis in thioacetamide-induced liver fibrosis in rats

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Abstract

Background/aim
Liver fibrosis is a major global health problem. The present study aimed to evaluate the antioxidant and antifibrogenic potential of peels extract against thioacetamide (TAA)-induced hepatic fibrosis.
Materials and methods
Rats were divided into six groups. Group 1 was the control; group 2 was injected with TAA (150 mg/kg, intraperitoneal) (fibrosis group) for 4 weeks; group 3 received peels extract only (200 mg/kg); group 4 rats were given oral sliymarin (50 mg/kg) for 4 weeks after withdrawal of TAA; groups 5 and 6 rats were given oral peels extract (100 and 200 mg/kg) for 4 weeks after withdrawal of TAA. Fibrosis was assessed histologically and by measuring the hepatic hydroxyproline content. The degree of liver fibrosis was assessed by Masson's trichrome staining and α-smooth muscle actin as the marker of the activated hepatic stellate cells was detected immunohistochemically. Serum markers of liver damage and oxidative stress were also assessed.
Results
The biochemical analyses have shown that peels extract or sliymarin significantly reduced the progression of hepatic fibrosis. The plant extract or sliymarin resulted in a significant improvement of liver damage by the reduced levels of serum alanine aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase. Oral administration of peels or sliymarin has also restored normal levels of malondialdehyde, hydroxyproline content as markers of fibrosis content (<0.05) in the liver, and retained control activities of endogenous antioxidants such as superoxide dismutase, nitric oxide, and glutathione. The histological evaluation showed that the plant extract or silymarin treatment maintained the architecture of the liver nearly normal and attenuate the accumulation of excessive collagen in the liver fibrosis caused by TAA. We also observed that peels extract or silymarin-treated rats reduced α-smooth muscle actin.
Conclusion
The obtained results have shown that peels extract effectively blocked hepatic stellate cell proliferation and they may be beneficial in the treatment of liver fibrosis.

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Journal of the Arab Society for Medical Research
Volume 12, Issue 2
July 2017
Pages 56-67

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