title: Fasting ameliorates metabolism, immunity, and oxidative stress in carbon tetrachloride-intoxicated rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Fasting has been recently discovered to improve overall health, but its beneficial effects in the presence of hepatic insufficiency have not been proven.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The influence of fasting on the metabolism, immunological aspects, and oxidative stress of 40 male carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-intoxicated Wistar rats was investigated in the present study.
  
  
  METHODS
  The rats were divided into four groups, including a placebo group, CCl4-intoxicated rats, which were injected subcutaneously with 1.0 ml/kg of CCl4 solution, a fasting group, which was fasted 12 h/day for 30 days, and a fourth group, which was injected with CCl4 and fasted.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The metabolism, immunity, and oxidative stress improved in CCl4-intoxicated rats fasted for 12 h/day for 30 days, as evidenced in significant increase (p < 0.05) in total protein, globulin, immunoglobulin M (IgM) and IgG levels, and total antioxidant capacity. In contrast, significant decrease (p < 0.05) in blood glucose, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, alanine aminotransferase, C-reactive protein, and malondialdehyde levels were observed. Compared with CCl4-intoxicated rats, significant differences in the albumin, triacylglycerol, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, very low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, cardiovascular risk factor, calcium and magnesium levels were not detected.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of the present study showed that fasting improved metabolism, immunity, and oxidative stress in CCl4-intoxicated rats. Thus, fasting during Ramadan is safe for patients with hepatic disorders, as the prophet Mohammed (S) said "Keep the fast, keep your health".
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Damanhur University, Egypt ksaadek@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Km
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sadek
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Hygiene, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Damanhur University, Egypt.
authors.forename: Ea
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Saleh
mesh_terms: D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride / Q000633:toxicity*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D005215:Fasting / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000032:analysis; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D012709:Serum Albumin; D014280:Triglycerides; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D002784:Cholesterol; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase
keywords: Fasting; carbon tetrachloride; immunoglobulins; metabolism; oxidative stress