Evening primrose oil enriched with gamma linolenic acid and D/L-alpha tocopherol acetate attenuated carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatic injury model in male rats via TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 pathway

Abstract

The modulatory role of primrose oil (PO) supplementation enriched with γ-linolenic acid and D/L-alpha tocopherol acetate against a carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄)-induced liver damage model was assessed in this study. Twenty male Albino rats were divided into four groups. The control group received corn oil orally. The PO group received 10 mg/kg P O orally. The CCl₄ group received 2 mL/kg CCl₄ orally and PO/CCl₄ group; received PO and 2 mL/kg CCl₄ orally. The relative liver weight was recorded. Serum liver enzymes, hepatic malondialdehyde (MDA), hepatic reduced glutathione (GSH) and the expression of hepatic tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β), and interleukin 6 (IL-6) were assessed. The binding affinities of γ-linolenic acid and D/L-alpha tocopherol constituents with IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α were investigated using molecular docking simulations. Histopathological and electron microscopic examinations of the liver were performed. The results indicated that CCl₄ elevated serum liver enzyme and hepatic MDA levels, whereas GSH levels were diminished. The upregulation of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α gene expressions were induced by CCl₄ treatment. The PO/CCl4-treated group showed amelioration of hepatic injury biomarkers and oxidative stress. Restoration of histopathological and ultrastructural alterations while downregulations the gene expressions of TNF-α, IL1-β and IL-6 were observed. In conclusion, evening primrose oil enriched with γ-linolenic acid and D/L-alpha tocopherol acetate elicited a potential amelioration of CCl₄-induced hepatic toxicity.

Keywords:

• Primrose oil
• liver
• CCl₄
• anti-inflammatory
• histopathology
• D/L-alpha tocopherol
• γ-linolenic acid

Ethics approval and consent to participate

The study was approved by the ethical animal committee of Suez Canal University, Faculty of Sciences, Ismailia, Egypt (REC115/2022)

Authors contributions

H.N. G. and H.A. wrote the main manuscript text. H.N.G prepared Figures 1–5, S.K. Prepared Figures 6–10 and wrote molecular modeling with docking part. All authors reviewed the manuscript.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

Data supporting findings are presented within the manuscript.

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported that there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.