Clove (Syzygium aromaticum) Effect on Carbon Tetrachloride-Induced Rat: Comparison of Malondialdehyde Level of Liver and Blood Plasma

Abstract

Studies suggested antioxidant properties of the content of Syzygium aromaticum (clove). The study was conducted to obtain better understanding about the effect of clove on concentration of oxidative stress marker malondialdehyde (MDA) in liver and blood plasma of rat initially induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4); and whether blood plasma MDA level might represent liver condition. Experimental research was done using 20 Wistar rats classified into 5 treatment groups: (1) CCl4 - and clove-positive treatment after 3 days of clove treatment, (2) one day after, (3) alpha-tocopherol as positive control, (4) CCl4 only as negative control, and (5) normal control. Wills method was used for MDA concentration measurement. Liver MDA concentration were 0.0262 ± 0.0010 for group 1, 0.0214 ± 0.0047 group 2, 0 for group 3, 0.0077 ± 0.0094 group 4, and 0.0039 ± 0.0009 control group in nmol/mg protein (p = 0.001), whereas in the blood plasma it was 29.6032 ± 6.8021 for group 1, 26.1103 ± 3.6920 for group 2, 1.1612 ± 0.3555 for group 3, 1.4585 ± 1.4747 for group 4, and 2.4217 ± 1.2382 control group in nmol/mL (p = 0.001). Contrary to study in the past, no antioxidant properties were observed in treatment with dose 200 mg clove/kg body weight of rat. Such treatment increased MDA concentration and enhanced CCl4-induced damage in a time-dependent fashion. Strong correlation between MDA concentration in the liver and blood plasma (R = 0.97; p = 0.003) suggested blood plasma utilisation to represent hepatic MDA concentration or damage.