Cadmium (Cd) is an environmental cumulative pollutant affects many organs
specially liver. Recently, plants possessing medicinal activities are investigated in
mitigating hepatotoxicity. Pomegranate fruit has been intensively utilized as
natural remedy in many cultures. The effect of methanolic extract of pomegranate
peels (PEE) against cadmium hepatotoxicity in mice is evaluated. Forty mice were
used in this study. Animals were divided into four groups, the 1st control group
was given saline solution, the 2nd group was orally treated with 50 mg/kg/b.w. of
methanolic pomegranate peels extract (PPE), the 3rd group was i.p injected with 2
mg/kg/bw of CdCl2, and the 4th group was injected with 2 mg/kg/bw of CdCl2
followed by oral administration with 50 mg/kg/b.w. PPE. Histopathological
changes of liver were examined by light and transmission electron microscopes.
Serum ALT and AST was determined and oxidative stress markers MDA, total
antioxidant capacity (TAC) were measured in liver homogenate. The results
showed that Cd induced several histological alterations in the liver including
congestion of blood vessels, leucocytic infiltration, cytoplasmic vacuolation of the
hepatocytes and fatty infiltrations. The ultrastructural changes include
mitochondrial degeneration, swelling of rER and pyknosis of nuclei with increase
in fat droplets and lysosomes. Biochemically, ALT and AST activities and MDA
were increased levels while TAC was decreased. Treating mice with PEE with Cd
improved the histological as well as ultrastructural structures. ALT, AST and
MDA were reduced with increase in TAC. The results suggests that the
ameliorative effect of PPE may be due to its antioxidant properties in combating
free radical-induced oxidative stress and tissue injury resulting from cadmium
chloride exposure.
Key words: Cadmium, Pomegranate peels, Hepatotoxicity, Histology, Oxidative
stress, Mice |
