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Hepatoprotective Effect of Astaxanthin Against Cholestasis Liver Fibrosis Induced by Bile Duct Ligation in Adult Wistar Rats Publisher Pubmed



Laderian A1 ; Ghasemi M2 ; Mortazavi P3 ; Mousavi Z1 ; Aleebrahim M4
Authors
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Authors Affiliations
  1. 1. Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tehran Medical Sciences-Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
  2. 2. Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
  3. 3. Department of Pathology, Faculty of Specialized Veterinary Sciences, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
  4. 4. Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran

Source: Journal of Biochemical and Molecular Toxicology Published:2024


Abstract

In this study, we evaluated the hepatoprotective effects of astaxanthin, a natural carotenoid, against the cholestatic liver fibrosis induced by bile duct ligation (BDL). Toward this end, male rats were subjected to BDL and treated with astaxanthin for 35 days. Afterwards, their serum and liver biochemical factors were assessed. Also, histopathological and immunohistochemical analyses were performed to determine the fibrosis and the expression levels of alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and transforming growth factor beta (TGF-ß1) in the liver tissue. Based on the results, BDL caused a significant increase in liver enzyme levels, blood lipids, and bilirubin, while decreasing the activity of superoxide dismutase(SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione (GSH) enzymes. Also, in the BDL rats, hepatocyte necrosis, infiltration of inflammatory lymphocytes, and hyperplasia of bile ducts were detected, along with a significant increase in α-SMA and TGF-ß1 expression. Astaxanthin, however, significantly prevented the BDL's detrimental effects. In all, 10 mg/kg of this drug maintained the bilirubin and cholesterol serum levels of BDL rats at normal levels. It also reduced the liver enzymes' activity and serum lipids, while increasing the SOD, CAT, and GSH activity in BDL rats. The expression of α-SMA and TGF-ß1 in the BDL rats treated with 10 mg/kg of astaxanthin was moderate (in 34%–66% of cells) and no considerable cholestatic fibrosis was observed in this group. However, administrating the 20 mg/kg of astaxanthin was not effective in this regard. These findings showed that astaxanthin could considerably protect the liver from cholestatic damage by improving the biochemical features and regulating the expression of related proteins. © 2024 Wiley Periodicals LLC.
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