Protective effect of grape seed and skin extract against high-fat diet-induced liver steatosis and zinc depletion in rat.
BACKGROUND
Obesity is a tremendous public health problem, characterized by ectopic deposition of fat into non-adipose tissues as liver generating an oxidative stress that could lead to steato-hepatitis. Grape seed and skin extract (GSSE) is a complex mixture of polyphenolics exhibiting robust antioxidative properties.


OBJECTIVE
We hypothesize that GSSE could protect the liver from fat-induced lipotoxicity and have a beneficial effect on liver function.


METHODS
Hepatoprotective effect of GSSE was measured by using an experimental model of fat-induced rat liver steatosis. Male rats were fed a standard diet or a high-fat diet (HFD) during 6 weeks and treated or not with 500 mg/kg bw GSSE. Lipid deposition into the liver was assessed by triglyceride, cholesterol and phospholipid measurements. Fat-induced lipoperoxidation, carbonylation, depletion of glutathione and of antioxidant enzyme activities were used as oxidative stress markers with a special emphasis on transition metal distribution.


RESULTS
HFD induced liver hypertrophy and inflammation as assessed by high liver transaminases. HFD also induced an oxidative stress characterized by increased lipid and protein oxidation, a drop in glutathione and antioxidant enzyme activities as glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase and a drastic depletion in liver zinc. Importantly, GSSE prevented all the deleterious effects of HFD treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
Data suggest that GSSE could be used as a safe preventive agent against fat-induced liver lipotoxicity which could also have potential applications in other non-alcoholic liver diseases.
Laboratoire des Substances Bioactives (LSBA), Centre de Biotechnologie de Borj Cedria, BP-901, 2050, Hammam-Lif, Tunisia, charradi3@yahoo.com.
Kamel
K
Charradi
Salem
S
Elkahoui
Ines
I
Karkouch
Ferid
F
Limam
Fethy
F
Ben Hassine
Michèle Veronique
MV
El May
Ezzedine
E
Aouani
D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism; D059305:Diet, High-Fat / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005638:Fruit / Q000737:chemistry; D056604:Grape Seed Extract / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D050356:Lipid Metabolism / Q000187:drug effects; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D008517:Phytotherapy; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D027843:Vitis / Q000737:chemistry*; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000187:drug effects; D015032:Zinc / Q000378:metabolism
D000975:Antioxidants; D056604:Grape Seed Extract; D015032:Zinc