Brown seaweeds protect against azoxymethane-induced hepatic repercussions through up-regulation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma and attenuation of oxidative stress.
CONTEXT
Seaweeds of the genera Turbinaria and Padina have long been used as food and in traditional medicine for treating several diseases.


OBJECTIVE
The current study determines the protective efficacy of the brown seaweeds Turbinaria ornata (Turner) J. Agardh (Sargassaceae) and Padina pavonia (Linnaeus) J.V. Lamouroux (Dictyotaceae) against liver injury induced by azoxymethane (AOM).


MATERIALS AND METHODS
Male Swiss mice received 10 mg/kg AOM once a week for two consecutive weeks and then 100 mg/kg daily dose of either T. ornata or P. pavonia ethanolic extract. Thirteen weeks after the first AOM administration and 24 h after the last treatment, overnight fasted mice were sacrificed and samples collected.


RESULTS
Compared with the AOM group, both T. ornata and P. pavonia significantly decreased the activity of aminotransferases and the concentration of bilirubin while increased albumin levels in the serum. The antioxidative effect of both extracts was observed from the increased activity of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activities in the liver, both of which were decreased by AOM. Moreover, the levels of malondialdehyde and nitric oxide were reduced, and histological findings also confirmed the antihepatotoxic activity. In addition, treatment with T. ornata and P. pavonia significantly increased PPARγ and decreased NF-κB expression in the liver of AOM-administered mice.


DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION
Our findings indicate that the protective function of T. ornata and P. pavonia on AOM-induced liver injury may be possibly exerted by multiple pathways including abolishment of inflammation and oxidative damage, and activation of PPARγ.
['Abdella|Ehab M|EM|', 'Mahmoud|Ayman M|AM|', 'El-Derby|Azza M|AM|']
D000818:Animals D000975:Antioxidants D001397:Azoxymethane D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury D005978:Glutathione D008099:Liver D008297:Male D051379:Mice D016328:NF-kappa B D018384:Oxidative Stress D047495:PPAR gamma D020011:Protective Agents D012624:Seaweed D015854:Up-Regulation
Turbinaria ornata Padina pavonia PPARγ Algae hapatotoxicity