International Journal of Biochemistry and Biotechnology

Full Length Research Paper

Hepatoprotective effects of vitamin C and micronized vitamin C against paracetamol induced hepatotoxicity in rats: a comparative study

Kamel M. A. Hassanin¹, Khalid S. Hashem¹, Samraa H. Abdel-Kawi²

¹Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Veterinary, Beni-Suef University, Egypt.

²Histology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Beni-Suef University, Egypt.

*Corresponding author. E-mail:[email protected].

Accepted 26 June, 2013

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of micronized vitamin C against paracetamol-induced liver damage and to compare its effect with that of ordinary vitamin C. METHODS: 40 male rats were divided into four groups; 10 rats for each: control group; phosphate-buffered physiological saline (0.5 mL orally); paracetamol group (paracetamol 600 mg/kg, orally); paracetamol-vitamin C treated group (paracetamol 600 mg/kg, orally & vitamin C 500 mg/ /kg, orally); paracetamol-micronized vitamin C treated group (paracetamol 600 mg/kg, orally & micronized vitamin C 500 mg/kg, orally). In all groups, potential liver injuries were evaluated by using biochemical, oxidant-antioxidant, histopathological and immunohistochemical parameters. RESULTS: Paracetamol administration significantly increased the liver enzymes and decreased total protein level. It also increased hepatic lipid peroxidation “MDA” and the activities of both catalase and SOD while it decreased GSH content and glutathione reductase (GR) activity. It also increased liver DNA fragmentation and expression of caspase-3 in hepatocytes. Histopathological and immunohistochemical investigations proved the hepatic degeneration and centrilobular necrosis in rats exposed to paracetamol. Vitamin C and micronized vitamin C restored the measured parameters nearly to their normal levels. Histopathological changes indicated the protective nature of the Vitamin C and micronized vitamin C against paracetamol-induced hepatic damage. CONCLUSION: The present study demonstrated that, micronized vitamin C has a more potent effect than ordinary vitamin C against paracetamol induced hepatotoxicity in rats.

Key words: Vitamin C, micronized vitamin C, paracetamol, hepatotoxicity, antioxidants, DNA fragmentation, caspase-3.