Antioxidant and hepatoprotective potential of Aegle marmelos Correa. against CCl₄-induced oxidative stress and early tumor events

Abstract

The antioxidant properties and inhibitory effect on early tumor promoter markers of A. marmelos (25 and 50 mg/Kg b. wt. orally) have been evaluated. Male Wistar rats were pre-treated for seven consecutive days with A. marmelos prior to CCl₄ (1 mL Kg^{− 1} body weight p. o., in corn oil [1:1 v/v]) treatment. Pre-treatment with A. marmelos suppressed lipid peroxidation (LPO), xanthine oxidase (XO) and release of serum toxicity marker enzymes viz, SGOT, LDH, SGPT dose-dependently and significantly (p < 0.001). Hepatic antioxidant status viz, reduced glutathione (GSH), glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), quinone reductase (QR), catalase (CAT) were concomitantly restored in A. marmelos-treated groups (p < 0.001). In addition, A. marmelos pretreatment also prevented the CCl₄-enhanced ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) and hepatic DNA synthesis significantly (p < 0.001). In conclusion, carbon tetrachloride-induced liver toxicity was strikingly attenuated by A. marmelos treatment and the study gives some insight into the mechanisms involved in diminution of free radical generating toxicants and enhancement of the antioxidant armory, hence preventing further tissue damage, injury and hyperproliferation.

Thus, these findings indicate that A. marmelos attenuates CCl₄-mediated hepatic oxidative stress, toxicity, tumor promotion and subsequent cell proliferation response in Wistar rats.

Keywords::

• Aegle marmelos Correa.; antioxidants; CCl₄
• tumor promotion
• ornithine decarboxylase
• carbon tetrachloride
• protection

Acknowledgements

Authors are thankful to Indian Council of Medical Research, New Delhi, India for providing fellowship and funds to carry out this study.

Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.