OMUR KARACA SAYGILI1, SERPIL PAKSOY2, SAHVER EGE HISMIOGULLARI3, MURAT ABDULKADIR KUS4, FATMA BAHAR SUNAY5, BURAK GULCEN1, EMRAH OZCAN1
1Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Balikesir, 10145, Cagis Yerleskesi, Balikesir, Turkey - 2Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Balikesir, 10145, Cagis Yerleskesi, Balikesir, Turkey - 3Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Balikesir, 10145, Cagis Yerleskesi, Balikesir, Turkey - 4Health of College, University of Mehmet Akif Ersoy, 15000, Burdur, Turkey - 5Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Balikesir, 10145, Cagis Yerleskesi, Balikesir, Turkey
Introduction: An attempt was made to examine the protective effects of omega-3 fatty acids against liver injury induced by car- bon tetrachloride (CCl4) in rats.
Materials and methods: Twenty-one male Wistar rats were divided in three groups. Group I was chosen as control, Group II subcutaneously injected every other day with CCl4 for 1 month, whereas rats in Group III were received daily ω-3 fatty acids via intra- gastric gavage while exposed to CCl4 for 1 month. Finally, all animals were killed by decapitation and blood samples were taken. Serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total and conjugated bilirubin levels were measured. Additionally, hepatic superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents were determined. For histopathological evaluation, the liver samples from experimental and control groups were pro- cessed for light microscopy.
Results: All serum biochemical parameters and the hepatic MDA content were significantly higher in animals treated with CCl4 than in the controls, while SOD and GSH-Px values were significantly decreased in these animals. Moreover, administration of CCl4 alone caused histopathologically prominent damage in the liver compared to the control group. Daily ω-3 fatty acids treatment signifi- cantly reduced serum biochemical parameters and hepatic MDA levels. These fatty acids also reduced serum SOD and GSH-Px activi- ties in rats received CCl4 plus ω-3 fatty acids. Furthermore, the histopathological changes induced by CCl4 were attenuated with administration of ω-3 fatty acids.
Conclusion: These findings suggested that ω-3 fatty acids are involved in protecting liver against CCl4 toxicity.
liver, hepatic toxicity, oxidative stress, superoxide dismutase, animal model.
10.19193/0393-6384_2017_1_021