Lowering effets of pectin on plasma lipids and carbon tetrachloride (CCL4) induced hepatotoxicity in the in the rats

Abstract

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of pectin on lipids and antihepatotoxicity activity in rats induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCL(,+4)), in study I, the effects of pectin on blood, liver and faecal lipid, glucose and total protein, small intestine length and Histopathologic studies in gastro - intestinal tracts were determined. Rats were fed ad libitum basal diet, basal diet containing 15% pecting and restricted basal diet (pair fed to pectin group) for 14 days. Food intake of rats fed 15% pectin was 10% lower than control group and similar to pair - feeding group. Serum cholesterol, serum triglyceride and serum glucose value in rats fed 15% pectin were significantly (p < 0.0005) lower than values for rats fed basal diet and pair fed rats, Rats fed 15% pectin excreted more faecal lipid than those fed basal diet (p < 0.005). The small intestine of rats given 15% pectin were longer than other 2 groups. Neither serum hign density lipoprotein (HDL), serum protein values nor histropathologic of gastrointestinal tracts were altered by pectin. In study II, influence of a pectin - pretrestment on antitoxic effects of rats induced by CCL(,+4) Rats were fed ad libitum either basal diet or basal diet containing 15% pectin for 7 days, After pretreatment, half of rats of each group were administered single oral dose of CCL(,+4) (2.5 ml/kg.bw). The other half of rats administed corn oil served as control. On 1,2,3,5 and 7 days after intoxication with CCL(,+4), the animals were sacrificed. Hematologic, blood chemistry and histopathologic changes of various organs were examined. The inhibitory effect of pectin was observed at day 1 and day 2 after intoxication with CCL(,+4), around 50% of enzymes activities of plasma glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase(GOT), plasma glutamic pyruvic transaminase (GPT), plasma alkaline phosphatase(AP) and 15% of blood urea nitrogen (BUN) level were reduced in rats pretreated with pectin when compared to rats without pectin pretreatment. Hematologic changes were not influenced by pectin pretreatment. Histopathologic changes revealed that pretreatment of pectin for 7 days decreased centrilobular necrosis in liver cells on day 1 day and 2 after CCL(,+4) intoxication compared to non-pectin pretreated rats. This study indicates that pectin lowers serum total cholesterol, triglyceride, and glucose levels and increases fecal lipid content compared to pair fed rats, on hepatoprotective activity against carbon tetrachloride (2.5 ml/kg bw.) induced hepatotoxicity, pectin reduces widely the plasma glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT), plasma glutamic pyruvic transaminase (GPT) and plama alkaline phosphatase(AP) levels and possesses anti-necrotic properties.