Protective effects of Dunaliella salina--a carotenoids-rich alga, against carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatotoxicity in mice.

The protective effects of Dunaliella salina (D. salina) on liver damage were evaluated by carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4))-induced hepatotoxicity in mice. Male ICR mice were orally treated with D. salina or silymairn daily with administration of CCl(4) twice a week for 8 weeks. CCl(4) induced liver damage and significantly (p<0.05) increased the activities of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) in serum and decreased the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and GSH content in liver whereas increased hepatic malondialdehyde (MDA) content as compared with control group. Treatment with D. salina or silymarin could significantly (p<0.05) decrease the ALT, AST, and ALP levels in serum and increase the activities of SOD, catalase, GSH-Px, glutathione reductase, and GSH content and decrease the MDA content in liver when compared with CCl(4)-treated group. Liver histopathology also showed that D. salina reduced the incidence of liver lesions induced by CCl(4). The results suggest that D. salina exhibits potent hepatoprotective effects on CCl(4)-induced liver damages in mice, and that the hepatoprotective effects of D. salina may be due to both the increase of antioxidant enzymes activities and inhibition of lipid peroxidation.