Beneficial effects of the unsaponifiable matter from shark liver oil on oxidative stress of hepatocytes by tert‐butyl hydroperoxide in vitro and in vivo

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the protective effects of the unsaponifiable matter (UM) of shark liver oils on the tert‐butyl hydroperoxide (t‐BHP)‐induced oxidative stress injury observed in HepG2 cells and rat liver. After saponification, the final UM was obtained, and contained squalene, fatty acid and alcoxyglycerol based on by GC‐MS analysis. The treatment of the hepatocytes with the shark liver oil UM significantly reversed the t‐BHP‐induced cell cytotoxicity. Also, UM exhibited in vitro ferric‐reducing antioxidant power and 2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydroazyl free radical‐scavenging activities. The in vivo study showed that pretreatment with UM (1000 or 3000 mg/kg) by gavage for 5 d before a single dose of t‐BHP (0.5 mmol/kg i.p.) and reduced the lipid oxidation. Histopathologic examination of the rat livers showed that UM reduced the incidence of liver lesions induced by t‐BHP. Based on the results described above, we speculate that UM has the potential to play a role in the hepatic prevention of oxidative damage in living systems.