Hepatoprotective effect of the natural fruit juice from Aronia melanocarpa on carbon tetrachloride-induced acute liver damage in rats

Abstract

The fruits of Aronia melanocarpa are rich in anthocyanins — plant pigments with anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant activity. We studied the effect of the natural fruit juice from A. melanocarpa (NFJAM) on carbon tetrachloride (CCl 4)-induced acute liver damage in rats. Histopathological changes such as necrosis, fatty change, ballooning degeneration and inflammatory infiltration of lymphocytes around the central veins occurred in rats following acute exposure to CCl 4 (0.2 ml kg −1, 2 days). The administration of CCl 4 increased plasma aspartate transaminase (AST) and alanine transaminase (ALT) activities, induced lipid peroxidation (as measured by malondialdehyde (MDA) content in rat liver and plasma) and caused a depletion of liver reduced glutathione (GSH). NFJAM (5, 10 and 20 ml kg −1, 4 days) dose-dependently reduced the necrotic changes in rat liver and inhibited the increase of plasma AST and ALT activities, induced by CCl 4 (0.2 ml kg −1, 3rd and 4th days). NFJAM also prevented the CCl 4-induced elevation of MDA formation and depletion of GSH content in rat liver.