Possible impact of antioxidant properties of cocoa (Theobroma Cacao L.)‎ against irradiation-induced some biochemical disorders in rats

Abstract EN

Man is exposed to natural radiations either from cosmic or terrestrial origins.

Furthermore, it is well known that the gamma irradiation of animals induce biochemical alterations which depend mostly on oxidative stress.

This work aimed at evaluating the radio protective efficiency of Cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) against whole body γ- irradiation of rats.

The virtue of cocoa aqueous extract (CAE) was given to rats at a dose of 1 g/ kg for 6 weeks to determine changes in hepatic marker enzymes, lipid profile and antioxidant status.

The animals exposed to γ-rays exhibited a pronounced increment in serum aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (γGT), total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and liver thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS).

On the other hand, a significant decline was demonstrated in high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C).

A decrease of hepatic reduced glutathione (GSH) content, superoxides dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities was sustained.

The CAE administered orally to rats has significantly modulated all the radiation-induced biochemical alterations.

These findings revealed that cocoa would exert radio-protective properties