Nutr Res Pract.  2014 Feb;8(1):54-58.

Prophylactic effect of aqueous extract of Sesamum indicum seeds on ethanol-induced toxicity in male rats

• Oyinloye B
• Nwozo SO
• Amah GH
• Awoyinka A
• Ojo OA
• Ajiboye BO
• Tijani HA

Abstract

The liver is vulnerable to alcohol-related injury because it is the primary site of alcohol metabolism. Additionally, a number of potentially dangerous by-products are generated as alcohol is broken down in the liver. However, dietary supplements may prevent or relieve some of alcohol's deleterious effects. Therefore, this study was conducted to evaluate the prophylactic effect of aqueous extract of Sesamum indicum (SI) on ethanol induced toxicity in rats. Male Wistar albino rats were divided into control, ethanol, pre-treatment, simultaneous and post-treatment groups. In the prophylactic experiment, Sesamum indicum, (200 mg/kg body weight) was administered by oral gavage for 28 days; two hours before, simultaneously with or two hours after ethanol exposure. Toxicity was induced by administering 45% ethanol (4.8 g/kg bw) by oral gavage. Lipid peroxidation (TBARS) and reduced glutathione (GSH) levels and catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and gluthathione-S-transferase (GST) activities were then determined in the liver, serum triglyceride (TG) levels, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activities were monitored and histological examination was carried out. The results revealed that ethanol administration led to significant elevation of TBARS level while depleting in the level of GSH as well as CAT, GPx, SOD and GST activities. Similarly, TG level and ALT and AST activities were elevated. The SI pre-treated group significantly inhibited TBARS, restored GSH level, enhanced CAT, GPx, SOD and GST activities and significantly decreased the elevated level of serum TG, ALT and AST activities. SI treatment (simultaneously with ethanol) exhibited similar effects to those of the SI pre-treated groups, while the SI post-treated group did not show the same protection as the Pre-treated group. S. indicum possesses antioxidant and hepatoprotective properties, that eliminate the deleterious effects of toxic metabolites of ethanol.

Keyword

Antioxidant; ethanol; hepatoprotective; prophylactic; Sesamum indicum

MeSH Terms

Alanine Transaminase
Animals
Aspartate Aminotransferases
Catalase
Cats
Dietary Supplements
Ethanol
Glutathione
Glutathione Peroxidase
Humans
Lipid Peroxidation
Liver
Male*
Metabolism
Rats*
Sesamum*
Superoxide Dismutase
Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances
Triglycerides
Alanine Transaminase
Aspartate Aminotransferases
Catalase
Ethanol
Glutathione
Glutathione Peroxidase
Superoxide Dismutase
Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Histological analysis of liver sections. Liver tissues were stained with H&E (×400). (A) Control: showing normal liver histology, no abnormalities was seen. (B) Ethanol group: showing multiple foci of congestion, massive and severe sinusoid infiltration by inflammatory cells. (C) Pre-treatment group: showing very mild periportal cellular infiltration. (D) Simultaneous treatment group: showing very mild diffuse hydropic degeneration of hepatocytes. (E) Post-treatment group: showing mild accumulation of fats and infiltration of inflammatory cells.

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