Abstract

In the present study we have evaluated the hepatoprotective efficacy of soy isoflavones (SIF), against carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) induced oxidative damage and early tumor response in male Wistar rats. Methods: Single treatment of CCl4 (1:1 v/v in corn oil was administered orally at dose of 1ml kg-1 body weight) induced oxidative stress and enhanced early tumor markers. Results: CCl4 treatment resulted in marked reduction of hepatic glutathione content and activities of hepatic anti-oxidant enzymes, viz., glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione reductase (GR), catalase (CAT), glucose-6- phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) and phase-II metabolising enzymes such as glutathione-S-transferase (GST) and quinone reductase (QR) significantly as compared to control group (p<0.001). Concomitant enhancement in xanthine oxidase (XO) and malanodialdehyde (MDA) formation was observed with simultaneous induction in serum toxicity markers and tumor promotion markers, viz., SGPT, SGOT, LDH, ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity and thymidine [3H] incorporation into hepatic DNA were also found significant(p<0.001). Pretreatment of rats with SIF (20 and 40 mg kg-1body weight, orally) resulted in a significant decrease in XO (p<0.05) level and MDA formation. There was decrease in GPT, GOT and LDH release in serum (p<0.001) and concomitant and dose dependent decrease in hepatic ODC activity and DNA synthesis significantly (p<0.001). There was also significant restoration of hepatic glutathione content, anti-oxidant enzymes and other phase-II metabolizing enzymes (p <0.001). Conclusions: Thus, these findings show that SIF attenuates CCl4-mediated hepatic oxidative stress, toxicity, tumor promotion and subsequent cell proliferation response in Wistar rats. © 2011 IGJPS.

Authors and Affiliations