The Effect of Curcumin on Experimental Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Rat Models,"Histochemical and Immunohistochemical Studies"

¹ Department of Biochemistry, Medical Research Institute, Alexandria University, Egypt.

² Department of Clinical and Experimental Internal Medicine,Medical Research Institute, Alexandria University, Egypt.

³ Department Histochemistry and Cell Biology, Medical Research Institute, Alexandria University,  Egypt.

^*Corresponding Author

Magda Abdel-Ghany Megahed

Department of Biochemistry, Medical Research Institute

Alexandria University

Egypt

Tel.: +20 3 4282331/73

Fax: +20 3 4283719

Email: magda.megahad@alexu.edu.eg

Abstract

Introduction: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is the most common and emerging form of chronic liver disease worldwide. It includes a wide spectrum of liver diseases ranging from simple fatty liver to steatohepatitis, which may progress to cirrhosis, liver cancer, and liver mortality.Curcumin was demonstrated to limit activation of the master inflammatory factors, nuclear factor-Kappa β [NF-k β] and to block oxidative injury. Objective: to investigate the effect of curcumin on NAFLD by histochemical detection of catalase activity and immunohistochemical determination of NF-kβ expression in the liver tissue.

Materials and Methods: Sixty Wistar male rats were divided into four groups: Group I: Control group received rat chew diet for 12 weeks. Group II: Fatty liver group, animals received high-fat diet for 12 weeks. Group III: Fatty liver group injected intraperitoneally [IP] with 1 ml/kg body weight dimethyl sulfoxide [DMSO] every other day for 8 weeks. Group IV: Fatty liver group injected with 50 mg/kg body weight, curcumin dissolved in DMSO, IP every other day for 8 weeks. Animals were sacrificed at the end of the experiment.  Liver specimens were  stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E )for histopathological study.  Diaminobenzidine(DAB) method was used for for histochemical detection of catalase activity. The grades of catalase stainability were detected. NF-kβ expression in liver tissues was determined using NF kappa B/P65 Rabbit polyoclonal antibody and UltraVision detection System. The percentage of positively stained cells was recorded.

Results: Histopathology of NAFLD group revealed marked hepatic degeneration,while curcumin treatment showed normal structure. Catalase activity decreased after NAFLD induction and increased after treatment by curcumin. NF-kβ expression was higher in NAFLD group and DMSO groups compared to control group (p<0.05). Curcumin treatment in group IV significantly decreased expression of NF-kβ compared to NAFLD and DMSO groups .

Conclusions: Curcumin has antioxidant effect by increasing activity of catalase and has reduced inflammation through decreasing NF-k β activity in the liver tissue.

Keywords:Non-alcoholic fatty liver, Curcumin, Nuclear factor kappa-β, Catalase, Liver tissue

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