N-Nitrosodiethylamine (NDEA) is a nitrosamine derivative with carcinogenic and\nmutagenic properties which can be found in tobacco smoke, meat and various food products.\nThis study examined the antioxidant and hepatoprotective potential of Cajanus cajan (C. cajan) with\nrespect to hepatotoxicity in male Wistar rats. Administration of NDEA induced hepatotoxicity\nat 200 mg/kg while C. cajan was administered (200, 400 and 800 mg/kg) for 28 days.\nNDEA-induced hepatotoxicity significantly (p less than equal to 0.05) increased alanine aminotransferase (ALT),\naspartate aminotransferase (AST) and malondialdehyde (MDA) and significantly (p less than equal to 0.05) decreased\nreduced glutathione (GSH), albumin (ALB), glutathione S-transferase (GST), catalase (CAT) and\nsuperoxide dismutase (SOD). C. cajan-treated groups were seen to have significantly (p less than equal to 0.05)\ndecreased ALT and AST and significantly (p < 0.05) increased ALB, GST, GSH, SOD and CAT. The\nNDEA-treated group also showed a marginal increase in body weight and a significant (p less than equal to 0.05)\nincrease in liver weight. The C. cajan treated groups showed a significant (p less than equal to 0.05) increase and\ndecrease respectively in body and liver weights. Histopathological changes also substantiated\nNDEA-induced hepatotoxicity and the hepatoprotective effect of C. cajan on the liver. The results\nindicate that C. cajan has the potential to ameliorate NDEA-induced hepatotoxicity.
Loading....