Carbon tetrachloride induced liver injury in adult mice and potential protective role of honey

Abstract EN

Recently, considerable attention has been focused on dietary and medical natural products that inhibit, reverse or retard diseases caused by oxidative and inflammatory process.

Honey has both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

Therefore the aim of the present work is to investigate the possible protective role of honey on carbon tetrachloride-treated mice, a model of liver injury.

In chronic hepatotoxic mice, liver damage was studied by using some histological, histochemical methods and morphometric analysis.

The experimental animals were divided into four groups treated as follows: Group (1) was kept as control; Group (2) was injected daily subcutaneously with carbon tetrachloride (CCL4) for 30 days; Group (3) was treated with CCL4 and honey at the same time for 30 days: Group (4) was given CCL4 for 30 days then stopped and was given honey for another 30 days.

Cell shrinking, chromatin condensation, fatty infiltration, marked decrease in glycogen, fibrosis, and dilatation of central vein and blood sinusoid were observed in group (2) The observations of the present study provide evidence for apoptosis of hepatocytes in the necrotic zone.

These changes were reduced when CCL4and honey were given simultaneously.

In contrast, there was no improvement of hepatic changes when honey was given after withdrawal of CCL4.

Based upon these results, honey may play a preventive and protective role in hepatic cellular injury induced by carbon tetrachloride and it is advisable to be given in patients with chronic liver diseases.