Veterinary Research Forum
Vet Res Forum

Hepatoprotective effect of royal jelly on dibutyl phthalate-induced liver injury in rats

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Mahdieh Nezami Majd 1
Goudarz Sadeghi-Hashjin 1
Hassan Malekinejad 2
Ali Rassouli 1

1 Department of Comparative Biosciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

2 Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran

https://doi.org/10.30466/vrf.2024.2033878.4338
Abstract
Phthalate esters, such as dibutyl phthalate (DBP), are extensively utilized and human and animal exposure leads to serious toxic effects, including hepatotoxicity. In the present study the protective effects of royal jelly (RJ) on DBP-induced liver damage was investigated. A total number of 40 Wistar albino rats were randomly divided into eight groups (n = 5): control (corn oil), DBP (500 mg kg-1), RJ (200 mg kg1), Quercetin (QCN; 50.00 mg kg-1), RJ (100 mg kg-1) + DBP, RJ (200 mg kg-1) + DBP, RJ (300 mg kg-1) + DBP, QCN (50.00 mg kg-1) + DBP. After 28 days of daily oral gavage treatment, animals were euthanized. The insulin resistance index, lipid profile and hepatic enzymes were measured on the collected serum samples. Moreover, oxidative and nitrosative stress biomarkers were determined in the liver. Histopathological alterations and ultimately cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1) activity was also assessed. Data obtained revealed that RJ significantly reduced the insulin resistance index and liver enzymes level in RJ-DBP groups. At the same time, RJ recovered the DBP-induced oxidative stress and restored the DBP-depleted glutathione. Moreover, RJ improved lipid profile and reduced significantly the DBP-induced hepatic CYP 2E1 activity in RJ-DBP groups. Dibutyl phthalate induced-hepatic damage such as necrosis of hepatocytes and scattered bleeding was alleviated in RJ-DBP group. Our data suggested that the administration of RJ could protect the DBP-induced hepatic functional and structural alterations. The RJ protective effects might be attributed to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and reduced CYP 2E1 activity.

Keywords

Dibutyl phthalate
Hepatotoxicity
Inflammation
Insulin resistance
Oxidative stress

Subjects

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Veterinary Research Forum
Volume 16, Issue 2
February 2025
Pages 97-105

  • Receive Date 28 June 2024
  • Revise Date 03 August 2024
  • Accept Date 14 August 2024

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