A biochemical approach to the anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antiapoptotic potential of beta-carotene as a protective agent against bromobenzene-induced hepatotoxicity in female Wistar albino rats.

Bromobenzene is a compound which has contributed much in understanding the mechanisms involved in xenobiotic hepatotoxicity induced by drugs and environment pollutants. In the present study, the protective and ameliorative effect of beta-carotene was investigated against bromobenzene-induced hepatotoxicity and compared with silymarin, a standard hepatoprotective reference drug. Beta-carotene (10 mg/kg b.w. p.o.) was administered to the rats for 9 days before intragastric intubation of bromobenzene (10 mmol/kg b.w.). Liver marker enzymes (aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase and alkaline phosphatase), total protein content, bilirubin, total cholesterol, high-density lipoproteins, triglycerides, antioxidant status (reduced glutathione, superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione-S-transferase and glutathione peroxidase) were assessed along with histopathological analysis. ELISA was performed for analysing the levels of cytokines such as TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 in serum and in the liver. Caspase-3, COX-2 and NF-κB were evaluated by Western blotting. Administration of bromobenzene resulted in elevated levels of liver marker enzymes, bilirubin, lipid peroxidation and cytokines but deterioration in total protein content, antioxidant levels and histopathological conditions. Pre-treatment with beta-carotene not only significantly decreased the levels of liver markers, lipid peroxidation and cytokines but also improved histo-architecture and increased antioxidant levels minimising oxidative stress, and reduced factors contributing to apoptosis. This significant reversal of the biochemical changes on pre-treatment with beta-carotene in comparison with rats administered with bromobenzene clearly demonstrates that beta-carotene possesses promising hepatoprotective effect through its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antiapoptotic activity and hence is suggested as a potential therapeutic agent for protection from bromobenzene.