Protective effects of some antioxidants against long-term intake of aspartame toxicity on liver and kidney: biochemical and histopathological approach in rats

Sary Kh Abdel-Ghaffar,Mohamed Araf Adly,Walaa Magdy Abd-Elsamei,Mohamed F El-Sayed

doi:10.1186/s41936-021-00244-9

Sary Kh Abdel-Ghaffar, Mohamed Araf Adly + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1186/s41936-021-00244-9

Copy DOI

Abstract

BackgroundAspartame is used to treat obesity, and the diabetic people could induce changes in liver and kidney structures and function. Garlic extract, melatonin and thymoquinone have an important role against aspartame toxicity due to their antioxidant properties. The current study was designed to examine the protective effects of garlic, melatonin and thymoquinone against aspartame-induced hepatorenal toxicity in albino rates.ResultsThe results indicated that aspartame induced changes in the serum levels of liver parameters function (glucose, ALT, AST and ALP) and renal parameters function (urea and creatinine). Garlic, melatonin and thymoquinone reversed the values of liver and kidney enzymes levels near to or similar to that of control. The histopathological effects of aspartame on the histological structures of liver and kidney were either reduced or removed by garlic, melatonin and thymoquinone.ConclusionLong-term (6 months) administration of aspartame induced toxic effects on hepatorenal function and structure, whereas garlic, melatonin and thymoquinone resulted in hepatorenal ameliorative and protective effects.

Highlights

Aspartame is used to treat obesity, and the diabetic people could induce changes in liver and kidney structures and function
It was reported that administration of 240 mg/kg body wt./day of aspartame for two months resulted in a significant increase in aspartate transaminase (AST) level and a significant decrease in alkaline phosphatase (ALP) level, while no change was observed in the level of Alanine transaminase (ALT)
Nonsignificant increase in the activity of AST level in male rat was observed (Table 1), there was a highly significant (P < 0.04) increase in the activity of the same enzyme in female rat treated with aspartame, compared with that of the control (Table 2)

Summary

Introduction

Aspartame is used to treat obesity, and the diabetic people could induce changes in liver and kidney structures and function. For six weeks caused a significant elevation in the activities of ALT and AST in male Wistar albino rats (Prokic et al, 2015). It was reported that administration of 240 mg/kg body wt./day of aspartame for two months resulted in a significant increase in AST level and a significant decrease in ALP level, while no change was observed in the level of ALT. Aspartame resulted in a significant increase in the serum glucose and triglycerides levels, whereas non-significant changes in the serum level of cholesterol were observed. Degeneration of hepatocytes was indicated by swollen cells, intense inflammatory cells aggregation in the portal area, congestion of portal vein with focal hepatic necrosis and infiltration of inflammatory cells in the liver of the male Wistar albino rats on administration of 240 mg/kg body weight of aspartame (Lebda et al, 2017)

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion