Abstract
The aim of the study was to investigate the antiinflammatory effects of naringenin in rats induced liver damage by exposure to ethanol. Rats were divided into four groups, groups 1 and 2 received isocaloric glucose; groups 3 and 4 received 20% ethanol equivalent to 6 g/kg body weight everyday for the total experimental period of 60 days. In addition, groups 2 and 4 were supplemented with naringenin (50 mg/kg p.o.) everyday for the last 30 days of the experiment. The results showed significantly elevated levels/activities/expression of serum aspartate and alanine transaminases, iron, ferritin, transforming growth factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), macrophage inflammatory protein 2 (MIP-2) and CD14 in ethanol fed rats as compared to those of the control. Ethanol-fed rats exhibited increased staining for the presence of inducible nitric oxide (iNOS) protein adducts in the liver. Supplementation with naringenin for the last 30 days to ethanol-fed rats, significantly decreased the levels/activities/expression of serum aspartate and alanine transaminases, iron, ferritin, TNF-α, IL-6, NF-κB, COX-2, MIP-2, CD14 and iNOS protein adducts in the liver as compared to the untreated ethanol fed rats. The inhibition of TNF-α, IL-6, NF-κB, COX-2, MIP-2, iNOS and CD14 by naringenin may contribute to its antiinflammatory activity in ethanol fed rats.