Role of γ-irradiated rosemary against ethanol induced liver injury in rats

Abstract EN

Among natural antioxidants, rosemary contains several antioxidant oil and phenolic compounds that may be possessed hepatoprotective effect.

This study aimed to investigate the effect of dietary supplementation with γ-irradiated rosemary on ethanol induced liver injury in rats.

Rosemary essential oil was analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS).

The results of biological study revealed that dietary supplementation of either raw or γ-irradiated rosemary following ethanol administration exerts remarkable modulating effect by reducing the level of total bilirubin, the activity of transaminases, gamma glutamyl transferase and serum alkaline phosphatase, decreasing the concentration of some lipid fractions and malondialdehyde content and xanthine oxidase activity.

Also, supplementation of dietary rosemary induced an increase of high density lipoprotein and reduced glutathione content and enhances the activity of xanthine dehydrogenase, superoxide dismutase and catalase activities.

Thus, gamma-irradiated rosemary could be incorporated to the diet as a nutritional supplement, to augment the liver's defenses against oxidative stress.