Abstract
Complementary and alternative medicine has been highly appreciated as a supportive regimen for classical treatment strategies. Here we offer a nutrition-based adjuvant therapy for liver fibrosis, a major risk factor for cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. To evaluate the possible hepatoprotective effects of Jerusalem artichoke tubers (JAT) in combination with interferon and ribavirin. Twelve groups of rats were administered JAT, interferon and ribavirin either separately or in combination from day one of CCL4 administration until the end of the study. Animals were killed after 8 weeks of CCL4- induced hepatotoxicity. Hepatocytes from rats treated with triple combination of interferon, ribavirin, and JAT showed more less normal architecture compared to CCL4- treated rats. We also detected significantly higher hepatic protein expression levels of p53, BAX and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) in the CCl4- intoxicated group compared to normal controls, as evidenced by immunohistochemical staining and western blotting analyses. Addition of JAT as a supportive regimen improved response to ribavirin and interferon and effectively participated in retaining normal histopathological and biochemical criteria and significantly lowered protein expression of p53, BAX, and TGF-β. We suggest that addition of JAT as a supportive regimen to interferon and ribavirin effectively potentiates their anti-fibrotic effects.
Highlights
Repeated liver damage over a relatively long period can cause chronic liver injury which usually results in a healing response that replaces the normal liver architecture in the form of fibrosis or cirrhosis (Minano and Garcia-Tsao, 2010)
Liver toxicity studies for Jerusalem artichoke tubers (JAT), interferon and ribavirin Six groups of rats were administered the same dose of JAT, interferon, and ribavirin without intoxication with CCl4
ALT, AST activities and bilirubin levels were markedly increased in CCL4- intoxicated group compared to the normal healthy group, which were significantly lowered by administration of JAT in combination with interferon and ribavirin (p < 0.01)
Summary
Repeated liver damage over a relatively long period can cause chronic liver injury which usually results in a healing response that replaces the normal liver architecture in the form of fibrosis or cirrhosis (Minano and Garcia-Tsao, 2010). Interferons are endogenous proteins produced by a variety of cells following to viral infection. It has been long used for patients with hepatitis C virus infection together with ribavirin (Fujii et al, 2015; Veillon et al, 2015). Results: Hepatocytes from rats treated with triple combination of interferon, ribavirin, and JAT showed more less normal architecture compared to CCL4- treated rats. We detected significantly higher hepatic protein expression levels of p53, BAX and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) in the CCl4intoxicated group compared to normal controls, as evidenced by immunohistochemical staining and western blotting analyses. Addition of JAT as a supportive regimen improved response to ribavirin and interferon and effectively participated in retaining normal histopathological and biochemical criteria and significantly lowered protein expression of p53, BAX, and TGF-β. Conclusions: We suggest that addition of JAT as a supportive regimen to interferon and ribavirin effectively potentiates their anti-fibrotic effects
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