Abstract
The present study aims to investigate the hepatoprotective effect of taurine (TAU) alone or in combination with silymarin (SIL) on CCl4-induced liver damage. Twenty five male rats were randomized into 5 groups: normal control (vehicle treated), toxin control (CCl4 treated), CCl4+TAU, CCl4+SIL and CCl4+TAU+SIL. CCl4 provoked significant increases in the levels of hepatic TBARS, NO and NOS compared to control group, but the levels of endogenous antioxidants such as SOD, GPx, GR, GST and GSH were significantly decreased. Serum pro-inflammatory and fibrogenic cytokines including TNF-α, TGF-β1, IL-6, leptin and resistin were increased while the anti-inflammatory (adiponectin) cytokine was decreased in all treated rats. Our results also showed that CCl4 induced an increase in liver injury parameters like serum ALT, AST, ALP, GGT and bilirubin. In addition, a significant increase in liver tissue hydroxyproline (a major component of collagen) was detected in rats exposed to CCl4. Moreover, the concentrations of serum TG, TC, HDL-C, LDL-C, VLDL-C and FFA were significantly increased by CCl4. Both TAU and SIL (i.e., antioxidants) post-treatments were effectively able to relieve most of the above mentioned imbalances. However, the combination therapy was more effective than single applications in reducing TBARS levels, NO production, hydroxyproline content in fibrotic liver and the activity of serum GGT. Combined treatment (but not TAU- or SIL-alone) was also able to effectively prevent CCl4-induced decrease in adiponectin serum levels. Of note, the combined post-treatment with TAU+SIL (but not monotherapy) normalized serum FFA in CCl4-treated rats. The biochemical results were confirmed by histological and ultrastructural changes as compared to CCl4-poisoned rats. Therefore, on the basis of our work, TAU may be used in combination with SIL as an additional adjunct therapy to cure liver diseases such as fibrosis, cirrhosis and viral hepatitis.
Highlights
Carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) is a potent hepatotoxin widely used for induction of chemical liver damage involving the aggravation of inflammatory processes and recruitment of inflammatory cells [1,2]
A significant increase was observed in the hepatic thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), Nitric oxide (NO) and NOS after carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) treatment compared to normal control
The combination of TAU+SIL elicited a more intense reduction in CCl4-induced elevation of liver NO level and NOS activity compared to individual treatments, yet, the level of NO was still somewhat different from the control
Summary
Carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) is a potent hepatotoxin widely used for induction of chemical liver damage involving the aggravation of inflammatory processes and recruitment of inflammatory cells [1,2]. SIL increases the activity of nucleolar polymerase A, with subsequent increment in ribosomal protein synthesis, in this way invigorating the regenerative capacity of the liver and the formation of new hepatocytes [23,24] It maintains the integrity of the hepatocyte cellular membrane and prevents the entrance of liver toxins or xenobiotics [25]. This study is the first to demonstrate the combined effects of TAU and SIL on CCl4-mediated hepatotoxic insult in male rats and to compare such effects to their respective individual effects. For this purpose we evaluated indices of oxidative/nitrosative stress, several inflammatory molecules, markers of liver function tests, lipid profile and histomorphological changes
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