Hypolipidemic effects of naringenin on phospholipase A and C during ethanol induced hepatotoxicity

Abstract

In this study the hypolipidemic effects of naringenin on liver fibrosis induced by exposure to ethanol are investigated in rats. Rats were divided into four groups, groups 1 and 2 received isocaloric glucose and 0.5% carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC); groups 3 and 4 received 20% ethanol equivalent to 6g/kg body weight every day for the total experimental period of 60 days. In addition, groups 2 and 4 were supplemented with naringenin (50mg/kg p.o) every day for the last 30 days of the experiment. The results showed significantly elevated levels/activities/expression of serum aspartate and alanine transaminases, plasma phospholipid, phospholipase A and C and decreased levels of tissue phospholipid in ethanol fed rats as compared to those of the controls. Supplementation with naringenin for the last 30 days of the experiment to ethanol-fed rats, significantly decreased the activities/expression of serum aspartate and alanine transaminases, plasma phospholipid, phospholipase A and C and decreased levels of tissue phospholipid in the liver as compared to the control rats. These findings suggest that naringenin has a protective effect on liver injury and can inhibit liver fibrosis induced by ethanol in rats. Naringenin improved the histological changes of fibrosis. The mechanism, possibly involves its hypolipidemic activity associated with its effect on inhibiting plasma phospholipid, phospholipase A and C and decreased levels of tissue phospholipid and suppressing the activation of hepatic stellate cells.