title: Supplementation of fresh ucche (Momordica charantia L. var. muricata Willd) prevented oxidative stress, fibrosis and hepatic damage in CCl4 treated rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Ucche (Momordica charantia L. var. muricata (Willd.) Chakravarty) has been reported to possess many benefits and medicinal properties. However, the protective effect of ucche against carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) induced hepatotoxicity have not been clarified fully yet. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of ucche on oxidative stress and inflammation in liver of CCl4 treated rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Female Long Evans rats were administered with CCl4 orally (1 ml/kg) twice a week for 2 weeks and were supplemented with freshly prepared crashed ucche (10% wt/wt of diet) with powdered chaw food. Both plasma and liver tissues were analyzed for AST, ALT and ALP activities. Oxidative stress parameters were measure by determining malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO), advanced protein oxidation product (APOP), and reduced glutathione (GSH) concentrations and catalase activities in plasma and liver tissues. Moreover, inflammation and tissue fibrosis were confirmed by histological staining of liver tissue sections.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our data suggest that ucche significantly prevented CCl4-induced hepatotoxicity, indicated by both diagnostic indicators of liver damage (serum transferases activities) and histopathological analysis. Moreover, CCl4 administration induced profound elevation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and oxidative stress, as evidenced by increasing lipid peroxidation level and depletion of antioxidant enzymes in liver. Fresh ucche supplementation prevented the oxidative stresses and improved antioxidant enzyme function. Furthermore, fresh ucche supplementation reduced hepatic inflammatory cell infiltration, iron deposition and fibrosis in liver of CCl4 treated rats.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In conclusion, these results suggested that the inhibition of CCl4-induced inflammation by ucche is due at least in part to its anti-oxidant activity and its ability to modulate the inflammation and fibrosis in liver.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, North South University, Dhaka, Bangladesh. sagor2008nsu@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Abu Taher
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Sagor
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, North South University, Dhaka, Bangladesh. riazhasan.rx@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Mohammed Riaz Hasan
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Chowdhury
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, North South University, Dhaka, Bangladesh. nabila_uoda@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Nabila
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tabassum
authors.affiliation: BCSIR Laboratories, Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR), Dhaka, Bangladesh. hemayethossain02@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Hemayet
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hossain
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, North South University, Dhaka, Bangladesh. mahbub869@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Md Mahbubur
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Rahman
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, North South University, Dhaka, Bangladesh. sonaliagun@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Md Ashraful
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Alam
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism; D007249:Inflammation / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D029777:Momordica charantia; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D051381:Rats; D020318:Rats, Long-Evans; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000975:Antioxidants; D010936:Plant Extracts; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride; D007501:Iron; D005978:Glutathione