In vitro antioxidants and hepatoprotective effects of Pleurotus tuber-regium on carbon tetrachloride-treated rats.

OBJECTIVES

This study has characterized the phytoconstituents and evaluated the in vitro antioxidant and hepatoprotective effects of Pleurotus tuber-regium induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4). In vitro antioxidant assay of ethanol extract of P. tuber-regium and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analyses to identify the phytoconstituents were carried out.

METHODS

Sixty rats were divided into six groups of 10 animals in each group and treated as follows for 13 weeks. Group I (control) received 3 mL/kg olive oil intraperitoneal twice weekly in addition to feed and water ad libitum. Group II received CCl4 3 mL/kg twice weekly. Groups III, IV and V received 100, 200 and 500 mg/kg wild edible P. tuber-regium mixed with feed by ingestion daily in addition to 3 mL/kg CCl4 twice weekly, respectively. Group VI received 500 mg P. tuber-regium daily. Liver and body weights were recorded. Liver function tests, oxidative stress biomarkers, bilirubin, ascorbic acid and α-tocopherol were assayed. Histopathology of the liver was carried out. The gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy analysis yielded 10 antioxidants.

RESULTS

CCl4 increased the levels of alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, bilirubin and malondialdehyde from 24±1.778 iu/L, 53±3.7 iu/L, 257±19 iu/L, 0.45±0.03 mg/dL and 1.90±0.42 μmol/L in the control group to 48±2.5 iu/L, 81±2.10 iu/L, 495±38 iu/L, 1.20±0.09 mg/dL and 14.0±2.6 μmol/L in the treated group, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

P. tuber-regium prevented the necrosis, edema and vein congestion observed in the CCl4-only group. P. tuber-regium is effective in protecting the liver against CCl4-induced damage.