Biochemical effect of antioxidants on lipids and liver function in experimentally-induced liver damage

Recent studies demonstrated the role of antioxidants in preventing organ damage caused by free radicals. The present study was conducted to find out the modulatory effect of some antioxidants on lipid patterns in experimentally-induced liver damage. Rats chronically intoxicated with carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) were used as a model of liver injury terminating with fibrosis or cirrhosis. One hundred and sixty six albino rats were classified into five groups: one served as a control group; the second was subjected to oral administration of CCl4 (200 microL/100 g body weight) twice a week; the other three groups, in addition to CCl4, received oral doses of silymarin (30 mg/kg), vitamin E (200 IU/kg) and vitamin C (50 mg/kg) respectively. At the end of the experiment, the animals were killed, blood was collected and liver was taken for histopathological examination. Liver function tests, disturbed by CCl4 were significantly modulated by antioxidants, and histopathological examination showed that antioxidants ameliorated the necrotic and fibrotic changes caused by CCl4. Treatment with antioxidants was also shown to modulate the toxic effect of CCl4 on the lipid profile and malondialdehyde content. Administration of antioxidants could play an important role in prophylaxis against lipid peroxidation and consequently liver fibrosis caused by free radicals.