title: Hepatoprotective effects of pecan nut shells on ethanol-induced liver damage.
abstract: The hepatoprotective activity of the aqueous extract of the shells of pecan nut was investigated against ethanol-induced liver damage. This by-product of the food industry is popularly used to treat toxicological diseases. We evaluated the phytochemical properties of pecan shell aqueous extract (AE) and its in vitro and ex vivo antioxidant activity. The AE was found to have a high content of total polyphenols (192.4±1.9 mg GAE/g), condensed tannins (58.4±2.2 mg CE/g), and antioxidant capacity, and it inhibited Fe(2+)-induced lipid peroxidation (LP) in vitro. Rats chronically treated with ethanol (Et) had increased plasmatic transaminases (ALT, AST) and gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) levels (96%, 59.13% and 465.9%, respectively), which were effectively prevented (87; 41 and 383%) by the extract (1:40, w/v). In liver, ethanol consumption increased the LP (121%) and decreased such antioxidant defenses as glutathione (GSH) (33%) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) (47%) levels, causing genotoxicity in erythrocytes. Treatment with pecan shell AE prevented the development of LP (43%), GSH and SOD depletion (33% and 109%, respectively) and ethanol-induced erythrocyte genotoxicity. Catalase activity in the liver was unchanged by ethanol but was increased by the extract (47% and 73% in AE and AE+Et, respectively). Therefore, pecan shells may be an economic agent to treat liver diseases related to ethanol consumption.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Fisiologia e Farmacologia, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Liz Girardi
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.forename: Camila Simonetti
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Pase
authors.forename: Patrícia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Reckziegel
authors.forename: Raquel C S
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Barcelos
authors.forename: Nardeli
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Boufleur
authors.forename: Ana Cristina P
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Prado
authors.forename: Roseane
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fett
authors.forename: Jane Mara
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Block
authors.forename: Maria Amália
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Pavanato
authors.forename: Liliane F
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Bauermann
authors.forename: João Batista Teixeira
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: da Rocha
authors.forename: Marilise Escobar
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Burger
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001713:Biphenyl Compounds / Q000737:chemistry; D031325:Carya / Q000737:chemistry*; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / Q000201:enzymology / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000187:drug effects; D000431:Ethanol / Q000633:toxicity*; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D048629:Micronuclei, Chromosome-Defective / Q000139:chemically induced; D009754:Nuts / Q000737:chemistry; D010851:Picrates / Q000737:chemistry; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances / Q000737:chemistry; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D001713:Biphenyl Compounds; D010851:Picrates; D010936:Plant Extracts; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances; D000431:Ethanol; C004931:1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl