Beneficial effects of yam on carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatic fibrosis in rats

• Published in: Journal of the science of food and agriculture 2010-01, Vol.90 (1), p.161-167
• Main Authors: Chan, Yin-Ching, Chang, Shih-Chieh, Liu, Sin-Yie, Yang, Hsin-Ling, Hseu, You-Cheng, Liao, Jiunn-Wang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: animal models; Animals; antioxidant activity; Antioxidants; Antioxidants - pharmacology; Antioxidants - therapeutic use; Biological and medical sciences; Body Weight; Carbon Tetrachloride; Carbon Tetrachloride Poisoning - drug therapy; Carbon Tetrachloride Poisoning - metabolism; CCl4; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury - drug therapy; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury - metabolism; dietary supplements; Dioscorea; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Effects; Food industries; Food science; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Glutathione Peroxidase - metabolism; hepatoprotective effect; Lipoproteins, LDL - blood; Liver - drug effects; Liver - enzymology; Liver - pathology; liver cirrhosis; Liver Cirrhosis - chemically induced; Liver Cirrhosis - drug therapy; Liver Cirrhosis - metabolism; Liver diseases; liver fibrosis; liver function; lyophilised yam; Male; Organ Size - drug effects; Peptidyl Transferases - blood; Plant Preparations - pharmacology; Plant Preparations - therapeutic use; Plant Tubers; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen - metabolism; rat; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Rodents; Studies; Superoxide Dismutase - metabolism; Triglycerides - blood; yams
• ISSN: 0022-5142; 1097-0010
• DOI: 10.1002/jsfa.3801

BACKGROUND: In a previous study, lyophilised yam reduced brain amyloid β-protein (Aβ) accumulation and improved the antioxidative defence system in senescence-accelerated (SAMP8) mice. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the hepatic protection of yam in the carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatic fibrosis of rats. Hepatic fibrosis was induced in rats via intraperitoneal injections of CCl₄ at a dose of 1 mL kg⁻¹ body weight (BW) twice weekly for 8 weeks. Three groups of rats were gavaged daily with yams at doses of 0.5, 1 and 2 g kg⁻¹ BW for 8 weeks, respectively.RESULTS: Yam treatments significantly decreased the ratio of liver/body weight, levels of γ-glutaminotranspeptidase (GGT), low-density lipoprotein, and triglyceride in serum when compared with those administered CCl₄ alone. Treatment with yams significantly elevated antioxidant activities of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and superoxidase dismutase (SOD) in livers. Microscopically, yam-treated groups presented with low histoscores of CCl₄-induced liver injury and fibrosis. Additionally, yam treatment reduced the area of GGT-positive foci and the index of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) in liver.CONCLUSION: Daily administration of yam attenuates CCl₄-induced hepatic fibrosis in rats in a dose-dependent manner; this attenuation may be related to the antioxidant properties of yams.