Anti-inflammatory role of naringenin in rats with ethanol induced liver injury

• Published in: Toxicology mechanisms and methods 2012-09, Vol.22 (7), p.568-576
• Main Authors: Jayaraman, Jayachitra, Jesudoss, Victor Antony Santiago, Menon, Venugopal P., Namasivayam, Nalini
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal - administration & dosage; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal - therapeutic use; Biomarkers - metabolism; ethanol; Ethanol - toxicity; Ferritins - metabolism; Flavanones - administration & dosage; Flavanones - therapeutic use; Immunohistochemistry; inflammatory markers; Iron - metabolism; Liver - drug effects; Liver - enzymology; Liver - immunology; Liver - metabolism; liver damage; Liver Diseases, Alcoholic - enzymology; Liver Diseases, Alcoholic - immunology; Liver Diseases, Alcoholic - metabolism; Liver Diseases, Alcoholic - prevention & control; Liver Function Tests; Male; Naringenin; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II - metabolism; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
• ISSN: 1537-6516; 1537-6524
• DOI: 10.3109/15376516.2012.707255

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.