The Effects of L-Arginine in Modulating Liver Antioxidant Biomarkers Within Carbon Tetrachloride Induced Hepatotoxicity: Experimental Study in Rats
Said Al-Dalaen1, Jihad Alzyoud2 and Aiman Al-Qtaitat3*1Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Mutah University, Karak, Jordan 2Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Hashimite University, Zarqa, Jordan 3Department of Anatomy and Histology, Faculty of Medicine, Mutah University, Karak, Jordan
Abstract: Arginine is an amino acid, aid in liver detoxication. Carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) induces hepatic injury by the initiation of lipid peroxidation process through the formation of free radicals, leading to liver damage. Objective: The present work aimed to investigate whether the administration of arginine had protective and/or curative effects against hepatic lipid peroxidation induced by CCl4 in rats.Sixty Swiss albino rats included in the present study were subdivided into four groups equally: (1) control group, (2) CCl4-intoxicated group; rats were injected intraperitoneally (i.p.) with CCl4, (3) protection group; rats were pre-treated with arginine for 6 days, then injected i.p. with CCl4 and (4) curative group; rats were injected i.p. with CCl4, 24 hours later, rats were post-treated with arginine for six days. Rats were sacrificed at the end of the treatment and liver tissues were obtained, homogenized and used for biochemical analyses. Malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione S- transferase (GST) and reduced glutathione (GSH) levels were assayed by spectrophotometry.CCl4 intoxication increased the level of hepatic MDA, decreased the level of hepatic GSH and inhibited the activity of antioxidant enzymes (GPx, GR, GST, SOD and catalase) versus their levels in the normal group. Pre- and post-treatment with arginine decreased hepatic level of MDA, increased GSH level and improved the activities of all antioxidant enzymes compared to the untreated CCl4–intoxicated rats. Arginine administration have hepetoprotective and hepatocurative effects against CCl4 induced lipid peroxidation, oxidative stress and liver damage, also, the curative effects of arginine were found to be more effective than its protective effects.
Keywords: Arginine; Lipid peroxidation; Antioxidant enzymes; Liver damage; Carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) Back to TOC