Hepatoprotection of ethanolic extract against high-fat and cholesterol diet in Sprague-Dawley rats ().

BACKGROUND AND AIM

The pathogenesis of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis involves non-alcoholic fatty liver, oxidative stress, inflammation, and fibrosis. Although the long-term use of cinnamon bark in larger doses can negatively affect good health, proper use of its extracts effectively and efficiently improves health. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the minimal dose of extract through its activity in inhibiting oxidative stress in rats' livers treated with a high-fat and cholesterol diet (HFCD).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Forty-two Sprague-Dawley rats (), weighing 200-250 g body weight (BW), were divided into seven treatment groups with six replications: Normal, HFCD, atorvastatin, quercetin, and ethanol extract group, after which they were administered different dosages (i.e., 100, 200, and 300 mg/kg BW). Except for the normal group, rats were concomitantly administered HFCD with each treatment for 21 days. Then, their malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity were assessed using colorimetry. However, their steatosis levels were determined based on histological preparations with hematoxylin-eosin staining.

RESULTS

Duncan's multiple range test (DMRT) results indicated that all treatments had a significantly lower MDA than HFCD and normal rats (a=0.01). DMRT results also showed that treating with the ethanol extract at all dosages resulted in a significantly higher SOD activity level in HFCD rats than those treated with quercetin and atorvastatin (a=0.01). Furthermore, results showed that treatment with extracts at a dosage of 300 mg/kg BW incredibly maintained SOD activity as effective as quercetin, atorvastatin, and normal rats. Besides, while steatohepatitis levels of ethanol extract at dosages of 200 and 300 mg/kg BW commensurated with normal rats, steatohepatitis levels were significantly lower than those administered other concentrations or treatments (a=0.05).

CONCLUSION

Ethanolic extracts protected the liver by regulating oxidative stress. Therefore, a 200 mg/kg BW dose is proposed as the minimal hepatoprotection dose to prevent fatty liver formation.