title: Ameliorative effect of Opuntia ficus indica juice on ethanol-induced oxidative stress in rat erythrocytes.
abstract: The aim of the present study was to investigate the efficacy of Opuntia ficus indica f. inermis fruit juice (OFIj) on reversing oxidative damages induced by chronic ethanol intake in rat erythrocytes. OFIj was firstly analyzed with HPLC for phenolic and flavonoids content. Secondly, 40 adult male Wistar rats were equally divided into five groups and treated for 90 days as follows: control (C), ethanol-only 3 g/kg body weight (b.w) (E), low dose of OFIj 2 ml/100 g b.w+ethanol (Ldj+E), high dose of OFIj 4 ml/100 g b.w+ethanol (Hdj+E), and only a high dose of OFIj 4 ml/100g b.w (Hdj). HPLC analysis indicated high concentrations of phenolic acids and flavonoids in OFIj. Ethanol treatment markedly decreased the activities of erythrocyte superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and the level of reduced glutathione (GSH). Changes in the erythrocyte's antioxidant ability were accompanied by enhanced oxidative modification of lipids (increase of malondialdeyde level) and proteins (increase in carbonyl groups). Interestingly, pre-administration of either 2 ml/100 g b.w or 4 ml/100 g b.w of OFIj to ethanol-intoxicated rats significantly reversed decreases in enzymatic as well as non enzymatic antioxidants parameters in erythrocytes. Also, the administration of OFIj significantly protected lipids and proteins against ethanol-induced oxidative modifications in rat erythrocytes. The beneficial effect of OFIj can result from the inhibition of ethanol-induced free radicals chain reactions in rat erythrocytes or from the enhancement of the endogenous antioxidants activities.
authors.affiliation: Unité de Biochimie Macromoléculaire et Génétique, Faculté des Sciences de Gafsa, cité Zarroug, 2112 Gafsa, Tunisia. alimihichem@yahoo.fr
authors.forename: Hichem
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Alimi
authors.forename: Najla
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hfaeidh
authors.forename: Zouhour
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Bouoni
authors.forename: Mohsen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sakly
authors.forename: Khémais Ben
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Rhouma
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants / Q000633:toxicity; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000187:drug effects*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000633:toxicity; D005638:Fruit / Q000737:chemistry; D008297:Male; D029747:Opuntia / Q000737:chemistry; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants; D010936:Plant Extracts; D000431:Ethanol