Protective Activity of Camel’s Milk and Urine Mixture (&amp;lt;i&amp;gt;Camelus dromedaries&amp;lt;/i&amp;gt;) against Ethanol-Induced Hepatotoxicity in Rats

Samia M A El Badwi,Ahmed E Elhag,F Bernard

doi:10.4236/abb.2017.810027

Abstract

This study was implemented at the University of Khartoum to investigate the protective effect of camel milk mixed with camel urine against alcohol-induced liver damage in Wistar albino rats. The reasons for combining camel milk and urine together are because that in Sudan this combination is used extensively in traditional medicine and they claimed that this combination cures a lot of diseases including liver disease and jaundice; 25 Wister Albino rats of both sexes were brought and divided into 5 groups. Group 1 (control group) received normal saline, group 2 received ethanol 10% at dose of (0.5 g/100g body weight) and group 3 rats received Silymarin (5 mg/100g body weight) plus ethanol 10% (0.5 g/100g). Group 4 received a mixture of camel milk and urine (1:1) at the rate of 2 ml/100g and group 5 rats were administered with the mixture of camel’s milk and urine as in group 4 plus ethanol 10% (0.5 g/100g). All treatments given by an oral intubation, experiment lasts for 28 days, rats were euthanized, serum samples and liver sections obtained. Oral administration of 10% ethanol (0.5 g/100g) induced liver damage which was clear in group 2 in a form of generalized necrosis, fatty change and congestion, beside high elevation of serum enzymes (AST, ALT, and ALP). Giving camel’s milk and urine mixture to group 5 with ethanol 10% (0.5 g/100g), resulted in significant reduction of levels of serum enzymes (AST, ALT, and ALP) and in stabilization of serum metabolites (total protein, albumin and bilirubin). The degree of reduction was lower when significantly compared to (Silymarin + ethanol) group, and all results were verified by the histopathological changes. Hepatoprotective effects of camel’s milk and urine mixture were recorded and this could be attributed to antioxidant activity or to its chelate effects on toxicants. Drinking raw camel milk and urine mixture, it was used extensively in traditional medicine in Sudan and it was found safe without any ill effect.

Highlights

Liver is the first organ to metabolize all foreign compounds and it’s susceptible to many different disorders [1]
This study was implemented at the University of Khartoum to investigate the protective effect of camel milk mixed with camel urine against alcohol-induced liver damage in Wistar albino rats
Group 1 (Control); Group 2 (10% Ethanol at 5 g/kg); Group 3 (Silymarin at 50 mg/kg + 10% Ethanol at 5 g/kg); Group 4

Summary

Introduction

Liver is the first organ to metabolize all foreign compounds and it’s susceptible to many different disorders [1]. Among the compounds provoking such disorders, alcohol is one of the main causes of end-stage liver damage in a form of cellular necrosis and it is the second most common reason for liver transplantation in the United States [2]. Both acute and chronic ethanol consumption leads to formation of cytokines, especially TNF-alpha by hepatic Kupffer cells, the increase in tissue lipid peroxidation and the depletion in the tissue glutathione (GSH) [3], all this elements contributing to significant liver injury [4]. It has been reported that, the camel’s milk and urine has been used to cure diseases caused by chronic imbalance of the liver [11] [12]

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