Carvacrol ameliorates the PPAR-A and cytochrome P450 expression on D-galactosamine induced hepatotoxicity rats

Carvacrol (2-methyl-5-(1-methylethyl)-phenol) is a predominant monoterpenic phenol which occurs in many essential oils of the family Labiatae including Origanum, Satureja, Thymbra, Thymus, and Corydothymus species. It is well known for its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antitumor activities. The present study investigates the influence of carvacrol on CYP2E1 and PPAR-α on D-Galactosamine (D-GalN)-induced hepatotoxic rats.

The mRNA and protein expression levels of CYP2E1 and PPAR-α have been assayed by semi-quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and western blot analysis.

The result demonstrated that the mRNA and protein expressions of CYP2E1(p=0.012; p=0.015) significantly up-regulated while the mRNA and protein expressions of PPAR-α (p=0.026; p=0.03) significantly down-regulated on D-galactosamine induced hepatotoxic rats and treatment with carvacrol significantly suppressed the mRNA and protein (CYP2E1, p=0.010; p=0.011) (PPAR-α, p=0.033; p=0.037) expressions of these genes.

Thus, the present results have shown that carvacrol has the hepatoprotective effect and also alleviates liver damage associated with GalN induced hepatotoxic rats by down-regulating the CYP2E1 and up-regulating the PPAR-α expression.