Protective effect of Fragaria ananassa methanolic extract on cadmium chloride (CdCl₂)-induced hepatotoxicity in rats

Abstract

This study investigated the protective effect of Fragaria ananassa methanolic extract on cadmium chloride (CdCl₂)-induced hepatotoxicity in rats. CdCl₂ was intraperitoneally injected at a dose of 6.5 mg/kg of body weight for 5 d with or without methanol extract of Fragaria ananassa (250 mg/kg). The hepatic cadmium concentration, lipid peroxidation, nitric oxide, glutathione (GSH) content, and antioxidant enzyme activities, including superoxide dismutase, catalase (CAT), GSH peroxidase, and GSH reductase, were estimated. CdCl₂ injection induced a significant elevation in cadmium concentration, lipid peroxidation, and nitric oxide and caused a significant depletion in GSH content compared to controls, along with a remarkable decrease in antioxidant enzymes. Oxidative stress induction and cadmium accumulation in the liver were successfully ameliorated by F. ananassa (strawberry) pre-administration. In addition, the pre-administration of strawberry decreased the elevated gene expression of the pro-apoptotic Bax gene as well as the protein expression of caspases-3 in the liver of CdCl₂-injected rats. In addition, the reduced gene expression of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 was increased. Our results show an increase in the expression of tumor necrosis factor α in the liver of rats treated with cadmium. In sum, our results suggested that F. ananassa successfully prevented deleterious effects on liver function by reinforcing the antioxidant defense system, inhibiting oxidative stress and reducing apoptosis.

Keywords:

• Fragaria ananassa
• cadmium chloride
• oxidative stress
• apoptosis
• liver

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this article.

Additional information

Funding

This research project was supported by a grant from the “Research Center of the Center for Female Scientific and Medical Colleges, Deanship of Scientific Research, King Saud University”.