Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate the pharmacological effects of calcium alginate on carbon tetrachloride (CCL4)-induced hepatotoxicity in rats. The study included two experiments. In the first experiment the animals were given daily CCL4 through gavage for 7 days and then 10, 50, or 250 mg/kg b.w. of calcium alginate for 21 days. The increased bilirubin level, enhanced alanine and aspartate aminotransferase activity in plasma and reduced liver glycogen content induced by CCL4 were partly normalized by alginate administration in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, alginate significantly improved CCL4-induced alterations of pro-oxidant and antioxidant biochemical parameters in liver and plasma compared to those of rats administered CCL4. In the second experiment the animals were given daily 10, 50 or 250 mg/kg b.w. of calcium alginate for 21 days before 7-day administration of CCL4. Pretreatment with alginate before CCL4 administration resulted in significantly inhibited increase of the blood enzymatic activities of alanine and aspartate aminotransferases and bilirubin level in a dose-dependent manner. Also, preliminary administration of alginate prevented elevation of lipid peroxidation products and reduction of liver glutathione content in rats given CCL4. These results suggest that calcium alginate exerts healing and preventive effects on CCL4-induced hepatotoxicity in rats.
Highlights
Alginic acid and its salts occur mainly in marine brown seaweeds making main part of their polysaccharides and comprising up to 40% of the dry matter [1]
In this study we investigated the effects of calcium alginate in rats with carbon tetrachlorideinduced liver injury
The results indicate that calcium alginate has both healing and preventive effects on some of the parameters indicating hepatotoxic damages in CCl4-exposed rats
Summary
Alginic acid and its salts (alginates) occur mainly in marine brown seaweeds making main part of their polysaccharides and comprising up to 40% of the dry matter [1]. Red seaweeds belonging to the Corallinacea family contain these substances [2], and bacteria of the genera Pseudomonas and Acetobacter are known to contain acetylated alginates [3]. By their chemical nature, alginates consist of a linear chain of (1–4)-linked residues of β-D-mannuronic acid and α-L-guluronic acid in different proportions and sequential arrangements. The biological functions of alginates in the plants include prevention of desiccation, maintaining of integrity of cells, and providing of mechanical strength and flexibility of the algal tissue. Cell-interactive alginate hydrogel is an agent for bone tissue engineering [20, 21] and a promising material for use as an implant for peripheral nerve regeneration [22]
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