THE POTENTIAL PROTECTIVE EFFECT OF STRAWBERRY EXTRACT AGAINST INDOMETHACIN-INDUCED LIVER TOXICITY AND GASTRIC ULCERATION IN RATS: BIOCHEMICAL, HISTOPATHOLOGICAL AND GENETIC STUDIES

The objective of this study was to determine the hepatoprotective effect of strawberry extract (150 mg/kg.b.w) in rats against Indomethacin sodium-induced gastric ulceration. Oral indomethacin administration (5 mg/kg.b.w.) resulted in a substantial rise in total plasma cholesterol, triglycerides (HDL), factor-alfa (TNF-α), nitric oxide (NO), liver and stomach necrosis, tumor necrosis factor-alfa (TNF-α), nitric oxide (NO), thiobarbaturic acid reactive substances (TBARS), 8-hydroxy 2 deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) and NF kappaB. Also, treatment of rats with Indomethacin led to a significant decrease in liver and stomach high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) gene expression as well as a decrease in the levels of GSH, superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT). The obtained results supported by histopathological data obtained by light and electron microscope which revealed that strawberry extract (150 mg/kg.b.w.) prevent liver tissue damage and stomach ulceration through increasing of GSH, SOD and CAT activities and decrease significantly TBARs, TNF-α, NO, 8-OHdG, NF kappaB levels, and HMGB1 gene expression. Conclusion: These results suggest that strawberry extract contains bioactive phenolics, minerals, and vitamins, which may be effective in enhances the protection of liver toxicity and treatment of ulceration by its radical-scavenging effect, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity.