title: Effect of astaxanthin on the hepatotoxicity, lipid peroxidation and antioxidative enzymes in the liver of CCl4-treated rats.
abstract: Astaxanthin is one of many carotenoids present in marine animals, vegetables and fruits. Since carotenoids are known to have antioxidant properties, we tested to determine if astaxanthin could have protective effects in the CCl4-treated rat liver by activating the antioxidant system. Astaxanthin blocked the increase of glutamate-oxalacetate transaminase (GOT) and glutamate-pyruvate transaminase (GTP) activity and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) in response to carbon tetrachloride (CCl4), while causing an increase in glutathione (GSH) levels and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities in the CCl4-treated rat liver. These results suggest that astaxanthin protects liver damage induced by CCl4 by inhibiting lipid peroxidation and stimulating the cellular antioxidant system.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food and Nutrition, College of Human Ecology, Seoul National University, Korea.
authors.forename: J O
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D002252:Carbon Tetrachloride Poisoning / Q000517:prevention & control*; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005980:Glutathione Reductase / Q000378:metabolism; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008099:Liver / Q000201:enzymology; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances / Q000378:metabolism; D024341:Xanthophylls; D019207:beta Carotene / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances; D024341:Xanthophylls; D019207:beta Carotene; C005948:astaxanthine; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D005980:Glutathione Reductase