Serum biochemical parameter
Exposure to ATDs for 8 weeks significantly elevated (P≤0.01) level of triglyceride, cholesterol and bilirubin, whereas significantly declined albumin and glucose (P≤0.01) (Table 1) as compared with control group. Treatment with naringenin at three different doses (10, 20 and 40 mg/kg) maintained biochemical variables towards control. Higher doses, 20 and 40 mg/kg of naringenin significantly maintained all the serological variables towards control. Tukey’s HSD post hoc test revealed that 40 mg/kg dose of naringenin caused significant difference in comparison to 10 and 20 mg/kg dose and showed better protective effect. Treatment with naringenin at 40 mg/kg dose offered more than 90% protection in glucose and bilirubin level as well minimum 53% protection in albumin, triglycerides and approximately 66% protection in cholesterol level indicating improvement against ATDs toxicity. Efficacy of naringenin was well compared to silymarin positive control group and results clearly showed protective potential of naringenin at par silymarin.
Aniline hydroxylase for CYP2E1 activity
Oral administration of ATDs over a period of 8 weeks increased activity of drug metabolizing enzyme, aniline hydroxylase (Fig. 1A) and microsomal lipid peroxidation (Fig. 1B) along with decline in microsomal protein (Fig. 1C). The protein content was significantly decreased while LPO and CYP2E1 activity was increased dramatically. Treatment with naringenin markedly reversed these changes towards their respective control in dose dependent manner. CYP2E1 activity was protected by naringenin in dose dependent manner with 82% protection by 40 mg/kg dose. Naringenin at 20 and 40 mg/kg dose were able to maintain microsomal LPO and protein, significant difference was observed between both the therapeutic group as revealed by Tukey’s post hoc HSD test. The 40 mg/kg dose of naringenin show 88% and 85% protection in maintaining microsomal LPO and protein respectively.
Tissue lipid profile
Level of cholesterol and triglyceride was found to be significantly increased (P ≤ 0.05) in liver and kidney along with decline in protein after administration of ATDs for 8 weeks as compared to control group (Figure 2). Tukey’s post hoc HSD test revealed that 40 mg/kg dose of naringenin treated groups was able to maintain triglycerides, cholesterol and protein in hepatorenal tissue better than the lowest dose. Values of control and 40 mg/kg dose of naringenin were very similar. Percent protection analysis confirmed 40 mg/kg dose of naringenin provide approximately 93% protection to hepatic and 61% protection to renal cholesterol. The 40 mg/kg dose of naringenin effective as it provides above 94% protection to hepatorenal triglycerides and approximately more than 84% protection in maintaining hepatorenal protein respectively. The efficacy of naringenin remained at par the efficacy of silymarin treatment.
Antioxidant status
Figure 3 (A-C) illustrates activity of antioxidant enzymes namely glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) in liver and kidney of various treatment groups. The ATDs administration caused significant (P ≤ 0.05) inhibition in the activities of the GR, GPx and G-6-PDH in liver and kidney. Treatment with naringenin significantly up regulated activities of these enzymes in liver and kidney (P ≤ 0.05) in dose dependent manner and maintained enzymatic antioxidant integrity towards control. Tukey’s post hoc HSD test revealed that, naringenin at 20 and 40 mg/kg dose showed better protective efficacy than 10 mg /kg dose in increasing hepatorenal GR, GPx and G-6-PDH. Percent protection analysis suggested that naringenin at 40 mg/kg dose showed more than 86% and 74% protection in maintaining hepatic and renal GR. Dose of naringenin 40 mg/kg dose provided more than 93% and 86% protection in maintaining hepatic and renal GPx. However, 40 mg/kg dose showed restoration of hepatorenal G-6-PDH by providing more than 95% protection. Results obtained from naringenin treated groups were found very close to silymarin treated group.
Biochemical findings indicated that 40 mg/kg dose of naringenin maximally protected from ATDs induced organ damage. Thus, only group of 40 mg/kg dose of naringenin was carried forward to examine IL-6 and IGF-1 in serum as well as electron microscopy of liver and kidney samples.
Interleukin-6 and insulin like growth factor-1 in serum
There was significant elevation in IL-6 level and decrease in IGF-1 level in serum after ATDs intoxication (Fig. 4A-B). Dose of naringenin at 40 mg/kg significantly restored these variables towards their respective control (P ≤ 0.05) that was well compared with silymarin treated positive control group. Tukey’s post hoc HSD test revealed that, naringenin at 40 mg/kg dose showed more than 91% protection in maintaining IL-6 level in serum and approximately 56% protection to serum IGF-1.
Electron microscopy observation
Electron microscopy of liver of control group showed well defined hepatocytes parted by canaliculi and sinusoids. Hepatocytes had nucleus with regular shape, distinct nuclear membrane, extended endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and numerous mitochondria of various shapes and size (Fig 5A). Ultra-structural observation of liver of ATDs administered group showed irregularly shaped distorted mitochondria (DM), loss of organization of endoplasmic reticulum and abundance of lipid droplets (LD) (Fig. 5B and C). Treatment with naringenin (40 mg/kg) showed better formed mitochondria, well-formed nucleus with intact nuclear membrane and obvious nucleolus, heterochromatin, euchromatin and nuclear pore; extensive endoplasmic reticulum, glycogen rosettes and scanty lipid droplets (Fig. 5D and E). Treatment with silymarin in positive control group showed well-formed mitochondria arranged between plasma membrane undulations, nucleus with intact nuclear membrane, obvious nuclear pore, scattered heterochromatin and euchromatin; extensive endoplasmic reticulum and scanty lipid droplets (Fig. 5F).
Ultra-structure of kidney of control group showed well developed elongated mitochondria, nucleus with nuclear membrane, well-formed plasma membrane with extended convolutions (Fig. 6A). Electron micrograph of kidney of ATDs administered group showed renal damage characterized by dilated plasma membrane, irregular and degenerated undulations of plasma membrane and diffusely arranged mitochondria (Fig. 6B and C). Treatment with naringenin (40 mg/kg) preserved better formed mitochondria arranged between undulation of plasma membrane, and well-formed intact nuclei (Fig. 6D and E). Positive control group, treated with silymarin also showed similar effects as exerted by naringenin. Observations indicated well-formed nucleus with intact nuclear membrane, heterochromatin and euchromatin, well-formed plasma membrane and mitochondria of different shape and size (Fig. 6F).