Potential ameliorative effects of corn silk on hepatic damage induced by carbon tetrachloride in experimental rats

Abstract EN

This study was carried out to investigate the ameliorative effect of corn silk on hepatic damage in rats.

Thirty-five albino rats of Sprague-Dawley strain were randomly distributed after the adaptation period into two main groups (7 of each), the first main group was kept on the basal diet as negative control (-ve), The rest of the animals (n = 28) were subcutaneously injected with a single dose of CCl₄ for the induction of necrosis.

After injection of CCL₄, rats were divided into 4 subgroups.

The first subgroup of rats was as a positive control group (+ve).

The other subgroups were fed on the experimental diets containing different levels of corn silk 5% , 7.5% and 10% , respectively.

At the end of the experimental period (6 weeks) liver and kidney functions were determined.

Also, antioxidants enzymes in addition MDA were determined.

Histopathological examination for liver and kidneys were done.

The results indicated that liver enzymes including ALT, AST, ALP in addition albumin, total and direct bilirubin were decreased in groups 3, 4 and 5, respectively compared with the positive control group.

Urea nitrogen and creatinine were significantly improved in all tested groups compared with the positive control one.

Moreover, antioxidant enzymes (SOD and CAT) were significantly improved in all examined groups compared with the positive control group.

However, serum MDA decreased significantly in tested groups which were treated with 5% , 7.5% , and 10% corn silk when compared with the positive control group.

It could be concluded that corn silk had a potential effect against hepatic damage therefore this study recommends increasing dietary intake of corn silk could be beneficial for patients with hepatic damage.