Protective effect of Opuntia ficus indica f. inermis prickly pear juice upon ethanol-induced damages in rat erythrocytes

Abstract Juice from the fruit of the cactus Opuntia ficus indica is claimed to possess several health-beneficial properties. The present study was carried out to determine whether O. ficus indica f. inermis fruit extract might have a protective effect upon physiological and morphological damages inf...

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Published in:Alcohol (Fayetteville, N.Y.) N.Y.), 2012-05, Vol.46 (3), p.235-243
Main Authors: Alimi, Hichem, Hfaeidh, Najla, Bouoni, Zouhour, Sakly, Mohsen, Ben Rhouma, Khémais
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Antioxidant
Antioxidants
Antioxidants - pharmacology
Erythrocyte Membrane - drug effects
Erythrocytes
Erythrocytes - drug effects
Ethanol
Ethanol poisoning
Herbal medicine
Male
Malondialdehyde - analysis
Membranes
Metabolites
Nitric oxide
Opuntia - chemistry
Osmotic Fragility - drug effects
Oxidative stress
Plant Extracts - pharmacology
Prickly pear
Psychiatry
Rat erythrocyte
Rats
Rats, Wistar
Rodents
Studies
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Summary:Abstract Juice from the fruit of the cactus Opuntia ficus indica is claimed to possess several health-beneficial properties. The present study was carried out to determine whether O. ficus indica f. inermis fruit extract might have a protective effect upon physiological and morphological damages inflicted to erythrocytes membrane by chronic ethanol poisoning, per os , in rat. Chemical analysis of the extract revealed the presence of polyphenols, flavonoids, ascorbic acid, carotenoids, and betalains. Ethanol administration (3 g/kg b.w, per day for 90 days) induced an increase of malondialdehyde (MDA) and carbonylated proteins levels and a decrease of glutathione (GSH) level in erythrocyte. Ethanol administration also reduced the scavenging activity in plasma and enhanced erythrocytes hemolysis, as compared to control rats. In addition, ethanol intake increased the erythrocyte shape index by +895.5% and decreased the erythrocyte diameter by −61.53% as compared to controls. In animals also given prickly pear juice during the same experimental period, the studied parameters were much less shifted. This protective effect was found to be dose-dependent. It is likely that the beneficial effect of the extract is due to the high content of antioxidant compounds.
ISSN:0741-8329
1873-6823
DOI:10.1016/j.alcohol.2011.09.024