Anti-fatty liver effects of oils from Zingiber officinale and Curcuma longa on ethanol-induced fatty liver in rats.
OBJECTIVE
The present study is aimed at evaluating the protective effects of oils from Zingiber officinale (ginger) and Curcuma longa (turmeric) on acute ethanol-induced fatty liver in male Wistar rats.


METHODS
Ferric reducing antioxidant power activity and oxygen radical absorbance capacity of the oils were evaluated ex vivo. Rats were pretreated for 28 d with standard drug (Livolin Forte) and oils from Z. officinale and C. longa before they were exposed to 45% ethanol (4.8 g/kg) to induce acute fatty liver. Histological changes were observed and the degree of protection was measured by using biochemical parameters such as alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase activities. Serum triglyceride (TG) level, total cholesterol (TC) level and the effects of both oils on reduced gluthatione (GSH), glutathione-S-transferase (GST), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and hepatic malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were estimated.


RESULTS
Oils from Z. officinale and C. longa at a dose of 200 mg/kg showed hepatoprotection by decreasing the activities of serum enzymes, serum TG, serum TC and hepatic MDA, while they significantly restored the level of GSH as well as GST and SOD activities. Histological examination of rats tissues was related to the obtained results.


CONCLUSIONS
From the results it may be concluded that oils from Z. officinale and C. longa (200 mg/kg) exhibited hepatoprotective activity in acute ethanol-induced fatty liver and Z. officinale oil was identified to have better effects than C. longa oil.
Nutritional and Industrial Research Laboratories, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan 200002, Nigeria E-mail: sonwozo@yahoo.com.
Sarah Onyenibe
SO
Nwozo
Nutritional and Industrial Research Laboratories, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan 200002, Nigeria.
Damilola Adeola
DA
Osunmadewa
Nutritional and Industrial Research Laboratories, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan 200002, Nigeria.
Babatunji Emmanuel
BE
Oyinloye
D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000008:administration & dosage; D030024:Curcuma / Q000737:chemistry*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000009:adverse effects; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D020939:Zingiber officinale / Q000737:chemistry*; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D051381:Rats
D000975:Antioxidants; D010936:Plant Extracts; D010938:Plant Oils; D000431:Ethanol; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D005978:Glutathione