Lab Anim Res.  2014 Dec;30(4):174-180. 10.5625/lar.2014.30.4.174.

Protective effects of pine bark extract against cisplatin-induced hepatotoxicity and oxidative stress in rats

• Ko JW
• Lee IC
• Park SH
• Moon C
• Kang SS
• Kim SH
• Kim JC

• KMID: 1737419
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5625/lar.2014.30.4.174

Abstract

We investigated the protective effects of pine bark extract (pycnogenol(R), PYC) against cisplatin-induced hepatotoxicity and oxidative stress in rats. Twenty-four male rats were divided into the following four groups: (1) vehicle control, (2) cisplatin (7.5 mg/kg), (3) cisplatin & PYC 10 (10 mg/kg/day), and (4) cisplatin & PYC 20 (20 mg/kg/day). A single intraperitoneal injection of cisplatin induced hepatotoxicity, as evidenced by an increase in serum aminotransferase and histopathological alterations, including degeneration/necrosis of hepatocytes, vacuolation, and sinusoidal dilation. In addition, an increase in the malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration and a decrease in the reduced glutathione (GSH) content and catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione S-transferase (GST) activities were observed in the cisplatin-treated rat hepatic tissues. In contrast, PYC treatment effectively prevented cisplatin-induced hepatotoxicity, including the elevation of aminotransferase and histopathological lesions, in a dosedependent manner. Moreover, PYC treatment also induced antioxidant activity by decreasing MDA level and increasing GSH content and SOD and GST activities in liver tissues. These results indicate that PYC has a protective effect against acute hepatotoxicity induced by cisplatin in rats, and that the protective effects of PYC may be due to inhibiting lipid peroxidation and increasing antioxidant activity.

Keyword

Cisplatin; hepatotoxicity; oxidative stress; pine bark extract; protective effects

MeSH Terms

Animals
Catalase
Cisplatin
Glutathione
Glutathione Transferase
Hepatocytes
Humans
Injections, Intraperitoneal
Lipid Peroxidation
Liver
Male
Malondialdehyde
Oxidative Stress*
Rats*
Superoxide Dismutase
Catalase
Cisplatin
Glutathione
Glutathione Transferase
Malondialdehyde
Superoxide Dismutase

Figure

• 

  Figure 1 Representative photographs of liver sections treated with (A) vehicle, (B) cisplatin (7.5 mg/kg), (C) cisplatin & PYC 10 (10 mg/kg) and (D) cisplatin & PYC 20 (20 mg/kg). Liver from cisplatin-treated rats showing moderate degeneration/necrosis of hepatocytes around the central vein region (open arrow head), vacuolation (closed arrow), and sinusoidal dilation (closed arrow head). H&E stain. Bar=50 µm (×400).

• 

  Figure 2 (A) Malondialdehyde (MDA) and (B) reduced glutathione (GSH) concentrations in the liver of male rats treated with cisplatin and/or PYC. Each bar represents the mean±SD (n=6). **P<0.01 versus the control group; ††P<0.01 versus the cisplatin group.

• 

  Figure 3 (A) Glutathione S-transferase (GST), (B) superoxide dismutase (SOD) and (C) catalase (CAT) activities in the liver of male rats treated with cisplatin and/or PYC. Each bar represents the mean±SD (n=6). **P<0.01 versus the control group; †P<0.05, ††P<0.01 versus the cisplatin group.

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