Purpose: To investigate the antioxidant activity and hepatoprotective effect of deinoxanthin-rich extract
from
D. radiodurans
(EDR) against CCl
4-induced liver injury in mice.
Methods: The ethanol extract of EDR was analyzed by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry
(LC/MS), and its antioxidant activity was examined using in vitro assays for reducing power, iron
chelating activity and lipid peroxidation. The extract was also evaluated for its hepatoprotective activity
against carbon tetrachloride-induced liver injury in mice. The activities of alanine aminotransferase
(ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) in serum, and catalase (CAT),
superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in liver tissue, as well as hepatic
malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, were measured to monitor liver injury. Damage to liver cells was
assessed by histology.
Results: EDR displayed strong reducing activity and lipid peroxidation inhibition activity in vitro.
Pretreatment with EDR (400 mg/kg b.w.) significantly reduced activities of serum ALT, AST and ALP, as
well as hepatic MDA levels (p < 0.05), but increased the activities of GSH-Px, CAT and SOD.
Histopathological assessment showed that liver tissue damage was decreased by the protective effect
of EDR.
Conclusion: The results show that EDR can protect mice against CCl
4-induced hepatic damage by its
antioxidant and free radical scavenging activities.