Healing and preventive effects of low-esterified pectin on liver injury induced by carbon tetrachloride in rats

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the pharmacological effects of low-esterified pectin on carbon tetrachloride <TEX>$(CCL_4)-induced$</TEX> hepatotoxicity in rats. The study included two experiments. In the first experiment the animals were given daily <TEX>$CCL_4$</TEX> through gavage for 7 days and then 10, 50, or 250 mg/kg b.w. of pectin for 21 days. At the end of experiment rats were killed within 24 hours. The increased bilirubin level, enhanced alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase activity in plasma induced by <TEX>$CCL_4$</TEX> were partly normalized by pectin administration in a dose-dependent manner. The pectin treatment also resulted in significant recovery of <TEX>$CCL_4-induced$</TEX> decrease of the liver glycogen content. In addition, pectin significantly improved <TEX>$CCL_4-induced$</TEX> alterations of pro-oxidant and antioxidant biochemical parameters in liver and plasma compared to those of rats administered <TEX>$CCL_4$</TEX>. In the second experiment the animals were given daily 10, 50 or 250 mg/ kg b.w. of pectin for 21 days before a 7-day administration of <TEX>$CCL_4$</TEX>. Rats were killed 24 hours after the end of experiment. Pretreatment with pectin before <TEX>$CCL_4$</TEX> 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 pectin prevented elevation of malondialdehyde and conjugated diene levels in liver and plasma as well as a reduction of glutathione content in liver of rats given <TEX>$CCL_4$</TEX>. These results suggest that low-esterified pectin exert healing and preventive effects on <TEX>$CCL_4-induced$</TEX> hepatotoxicity in rats.