Abstract

MOLECULAR MECHANISMS UNDERLYING HEPATOPROTECTIVE EFFECT OF ARTICHOKE EXTRACT: MODULATES TNF-INDUCED ACTIVATION OF NUCLEAR TRANSCRIPTION FACTOR (NF-KAPPA ?) AND OXIDATIVE BURST INHIBITION

Nehal Afifi*, Ramadan, A., Nemat Z. Yassin, Hany M.Fayed and Rehab F. Abdel-Rahman

ABSTRACT

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a primary malignancy of the liver. It is now the third leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of artichoke (Cynara scolymus leaves) extract against N-nitrosodiethylamine (NDEA) at a dose of 100 mg/kg b.wt and carbon tetrachloride (CCl 4) at a dose of 3ml/kg b.wt -induced hepatocarcinogenesis in male Wister albino rats. Main methods: rats were pretreated with artichoke extract, silymarin or both for six weeks prior to the injection of NDEA. Then rats administered with a single intraperitoneal injection of NDEA followed by subcutaneous injections of CCl4 once a week for 6 weeks and the pretreatment was continued for another six weeks. Product of lipid peroxidation malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO), glutathione content (GSH ), superoxide dismutase (SOD), hydroxyproline and DNA damage contents were evaluated in liver homogenate. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappa B) were determined in serum using ELSIA. Results: Pretreatment with Cynara scolymus extract, silymarin and their combination limited the increase in the levels of MDA, NO; TNF alpha, NF-kappa, hydroxyproline and DNA damage while diminished the loss of GSH and SOD. Conclusion: The obtained findings suggested that Cynara scolymus extract may have beneficial chemo preventive roles against hepatocarcinogenesis through their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti -fibrotic, and anti-apoptotic activities.

Keywords: (Hepatocellular carcinoma, N-nitrosodiethylamine (NDEA), Carbon tetrachloride (CCl 4), Cynara scolymus, silymarin, Rats).