Hesperidin a flavanoglycone protects against γ-irradiation induced hepatocellular damage and oxidative stress in Sprague–Dawley rats

Abstract

Oxidative stress plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis and progression of γ-irradiation induced cellular damage and the administration of dietary antioxidants has been suggested to protect against the subsequent tissue damage. Here, we present the data to explore the hepatoprotective and antioxidant effect of hesperidin, a naturally occurring citrus flavanoglycone, against γ-irradiation induced oxidative damage in the liver of rats. Healthy male Sprague–Dawley rats were exposed to γ-irradiation (1 Gy, 3 Gy and 5 Gy) and were administered hesperidin (50 mg/kg and 100 mg/kg, b.w, orally) for 7 days post irradiation. The changes in body weight, liver weight, spleen index, serum and liver aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), γ-glutamyl transpeptidase (γ-GT) and serum ceruloplasmin levels were determined along with differences in the liver histopathology. Liver thiobarbuturic acid reactive substance as an index for lipid peroxidation and the levels of enzymatic antioxidants like superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase and the status of non-enzymatic antioxidants as an index for oxidative stress were also determined. Exposure to γ-irradiation resulted in hepatocellular damage in a dose-dependent manner, featuring a significantly decreased body weight and liver weight and higher levels of serum AST, ALT, ALP, LDH and γ-GT levels and a simultaneous decrease in their levels in the liver tissue. Oxidative stress was evidenced by elevated levels of lipid peroxidation and a decrease in the levels of key enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants in the liver. However, the γ-irradiation induced toxic effects were dramatically and dose-dependently inhibited by hesperidin treatment as observed by the restoration in the altered levels of the marker enzymes, lipid peroxidation, enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants. The results of the biochemical observations were supported by the histopathological findings. Thus, oral administration of hesperidin was found to offer protection against γ-irradiation induced hepatocellular damage and oxidative stress in rats, probably by exerting a protective effect against hepatocellular necrosis via its free radical scavenging and membrane stabilizing ability.