Biochemistry

Background & objectives: Considering the importance of liver toxicity due to drugs and toxins as a major cause of liver damage, this study was conducted to evaluate the effects of the combination of cinnamon and ginger extracts on serum biochemical parameters in carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-intoxicated rats. Methods: In this experimental study, forty-two male Wistar rats were divided into 7 groups (n=6). Three control groups including normal control, combined extract control and damaged control were designated that received distilled water, a mixture of cinnamon and ginger extracts and distilled water respectively for 14 days. Other 4 groups were pre-treatment groups which were treated with cinnamon (50 mg/kg/d), ginger (250 mg/kg/d), cinnamon + ginger (25+125 mg/kg/d) and silymarin (100 mg/kg/d) respectively for 14 days before being damaged by intraperitoneal injection of CCl 4 (1 ml/kg, 1:1 in olive oil). Fifty-two hours after CCl4 injection, blood sampling was performed and biochemical parameters were measured in serum of rats. Results: The results of this study showed that the injection of CCl 4 significantly increased the ALT and AST enzymes activity ,cholesterol, triglyceride, and LDL levels and decreased the blood albumin and HDL levels in damaged rats compared to the normal control group (p<0.001). However, pre-treatment with the cinnamon and ginger extracts, especially combination of extracts significantly improved these values compared to the CCl 4 damage group (p<0.001). Conclusion: The results suggest that simultaneous use of cinnamon and ginger extracts has more significant protective effects against CCl 4-induced hepatotoxicity.

Background & objectives: The liver is one of the most important organs in the body and plays an essential role in the metabolism of drugs and toxins. Therefore, any damage to the liver can disrupt its function and cause various diseases. On the other hand, due to the increasing use of the medicinal herbs, in this study, the effects of hepatic protection of aqueous extracts of Humulus lupulus on liver damage induced by carbon tetrachloride in rats were investigated. Methods: In this experimental study, 36 male Wistar rats were divided into 6 groups (n=6). Group 1 (normal control) and Group 2 (control CCl 4): administered with distilled water orally for 14 days. Groups 3, 4, and 5 received 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg of Humulus lupulus extract for 14 days respectively. Group 6: administered with silymarin (as standard drug) 100 mg/kg orally for 14 days. All of the groups except group 1 received 1 ml CCl 4 (1:1 v/v dissolved in olive oil) on 14 th day. All animals were sacrificed and blood samples were collected to determine the biochemical parameters. Results: Pretreatment with a Humulus lupulus extract significantly reduced the serum levels of ALT, AST, ALP, TG, and increased the serum HDL levels, but did not have a significant effect on GGT and LDL levels. Conclusion: The results of this study showed that the Humulus lupulus extract can protect the liver from damage caused by carbon tetrachloride and have beneficial effects on lipid profile.

Introduction: Liver is the most important organ of drugs and xenobiotics metabolism and any damage to the liver is associated with dysfunction of this organ. This study was carried out to find the possible additive effect of the co-administration of Cinnamomum zeylanicum (cinnamon) and Zingiber officinale (ginger) extracts on carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced liver damage in rats. Methods: Forty-two male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 7 groups (n=6). Group I: Normal control, Group II: Control of the extract (25 mg/kg of cinnamon extract and 125 mg/kg of ginger extract), Group III: CCl4 control, Group IV: 50 mg/kg of cinnamon extract; Group 5: 250 mg/kg of ginger extract; Group VI: As in group II, a combination of 25 mg/kg cinnamon extract and 125 mg/kg ginger extract, and group VII: 100 mg/kg of silymarin (as the standard drug). These treatments were performed daily for 14 days. On the fourteenth day, all groups received 1ml of CCl4 along with olive oil (1:1 v/v), except f...

There are various abnormalities in the male reproductive system including disorders in sperm parameters and sex hormones like the reduction of testosterone, which are induced by cigarette abusing, anti-depressant drugs and consumption of alcohol (Khan, 2012). CCl4 is one of the industrial chemicals that cause liver (Mahmoodzadeh,

Background & objectives: Considering the importance of liver toxicity due to drugs and toxins as a major cause of liver damage, this study was conducted to evaluate the effects of the combination of cinnamon and ginger extracts on serum biochemical parameters in carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-intoxicated rats. Methods: In this experimental study, forty-two male Wistar rats were divided into 7 groups (n=6). Three control groups including normal control, combined extract control and damaged control were designated that received distilled water, a mixture of cinnamon and ginger extracts and distilled water respectively for 14 days. Other 4 groups were pre-treatment groups which were treated with cinnamon (50 mg/kg/d), ginger (250 mg/kg/d), cinnamon + ginger (25+125 mg/kg/d) and silymarin (100 mg/kg/d) respectively for 14 days before being damaged by intraperitoneal injection of CCl 4 (1 ml/kg, 1:1 in olive oil). Fifty-two hours after CCl4 injection, blood sampling was performed and biochemical parameters were measured in serum of rats. Results: The results of this study showed that the injection of CCl 4 significantly increased the ALT and AST enzymes activity ,cholesterol, triglyceride, and LDL levels and decreased the blood albumin and HDL levels in damaged rats compared to the normal control group (p<0.001). However, pre-treatment with the cinnamon and ginger extracts, especially combination of extracts significantly improved these values compared to the CCl 4 damage group (p<0.001). Conclusion: The results suggest that simultaneous use of cinnamon and ginger extracts has more significant protective effects against CCl 4-induced hepatotoxicity.

The aim of the current study is to determine the protective and therapeutic effects of linalool against carbon tetrachloride (CCl 4)-induced hepatoxicity and nephrotoxicity. Six-week-old male Wistar rats were divided into five groups: Control group (a regular diet); CCl 4 group (1 ml/kg dissolved in olive oil, intraperitoneally at 14th day); pretreatment group (25 mg/kg linalool daily þ CCl 4 14thday); post-treatment group (25 mg/kg linalool 2, 6, 24, and 48 h after the injection of CCl 4 at 14 th day); and linalool group (25 mg/kg linalool daily, orally). All animals were sacrificed, tissue and blood samples were collected to analysis. Administration of CCl 4 resulted in a marked increase in hepatic (aspartate aminotransferase, alanine transaminase, and alkaline phosphatase) and renal (blood urea nitrogen and creatinine) markers. Also, CCl 4 resulted in pathological damages, a significant increase in the concentration of malondialdehyde , tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and Interleukin 6 , expression of nuclear factor kappalight-chain-enhancer of activated B cells and a significant decrease in the levels of serum total protein, serum albumin, and antioxidants. However, in pretreatment and post treatment groups, linalool significantly inhibited CCl4-induced hepatic and nephric damages. These results demonstrate that linalool has protective and therapeutic effects in an in vitro model of CCL 4-induced hepatic and nephric damage, proposing linalool as a potential therapeutic agent against chemical and drug induced hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity.