Hepatoprotective effect of bis(4-methylbenzoyl) diselenide against CCl(4)-induced oxidative damage in mice.

From a pharmacological point of view, organoseleniums are compounds with important and interesting antioxidant and biological activities. The aim of this study was to evaluate the hepatoprotective effect of bis(4-methylbenzoyl) diselenide (BMD) against carbon tetrachloride (CCl4 )-induced oxidative damage in mice. The animals received BMD (25 mg/kg p.o., for 3 days), and after 1 day, CCl4 (1 mg/kg body weight) was administered by intraperitoneal route. One day after the CCl4 exposure, the animals were euthanized for biochemical and histological analysis. Treatment with BMD (25 mg/kg p.o.) protected against aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, gamma-glutamyl transferase and lactate dehydrogenase activity increases induced by CCl4 plasma exposure. Treatment with BMD (25 mg/kg) protected against increases in thiobarbituric reactive species and decreasing non-protein thiols and ascorbic acid levels in liver of mice. Catalase and superoxide dismutase activity inhibition in the liver caused by CCl4 were protected by treatment with BMD (25 mg/kg). Glutathione S-transferase activity was inhibited by CCl4 and remained unaltered even after treatment with BMD. Sections of liver from CCl4 -exposed mice presented an intense infiltration of inflammatory cells and loss of the cellular architecture. BMD (25 mg/kg) attenuated CCl4 -induced hepatic histological alterations. The results demonstrated the hepatoprotective effects of BMD in the mouse liver, possibly by modulating the antioxidant status.