Zizyphus spina-christi extract protects against aflatoxin B1-initiated hepatic carcinogenicity (original) (raw)

African journal of traditional, complementary, and alternative medicines : AJTCAM / African Networks on Ethnomedicines, 2007

Abstract

Aflatoxins (AF), a group of closely related, extremely toxic mycotoxins, produced by Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus can occur as natural contaminants of foods and feeds. Aflatoxins have been shown to be hepatotoxic, carcinogenic, mutagenic, and teratogenic to different animal species. Zizyphus spina-christi L. extract was investigated for its antifungal and antimicrobial activities. The aim of the present work was to evaluate the antioxidant activity of the methanol extract of Z. spina-christi L. leaves against the oxidative stress of aflatoxin in rats. Fourty male Sprague-Dawley male rats were divided into four groups including the control group, the group fed aflatoxin-contaminated diet (3 mg/kg diet) and the groups treated with Zizyphus extract (5 mg/kg b.w) alone or in combination with AF for 15 days. Biochemical analysis revealed that treatment with AF resulted in a significant increase in ALT, AST, cholesterol, triglycerides, uric acid, TNFa, LPO, NO and CEA, whereas it...

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