Hepatoprotective and Immuno-stimulant Effects of Nutaceutical Compounds from Carteonoid origin

The present study was conducted to evaluate the antioxidant, hepatoprotective, and immuno-stimulant properties of carotenes-derived from the waste of food by-products (tomato peels. mango peels, corn gluten and dill), in vitro and in vivo. They had been selected for their high superoxide dismutase activity. Free radical scavenging activity (RSA) of carotenes (lycopene, β-carotene, zeaxanthin and lutein) was determined using the DPPH-scavenging activity method (in vitro study). Results revealed that RSA was increased significantly more than by BHA (synthetic commercial antioxidant) after 10 and 20min in the order lycopene> β-carotene> zeanthin > lutein. Antioxidant and hepatoprotective effects in carbon tetrachloride liver-damaged rats were assayed using oral doses for each carotene (100mg/kg b.w.) for 7 days prior to carbon tetrachloride administration and 2 days post-carbon tetrachloride treatment. All tested carotenes significantly reduced the elevated values of liver function tests (GGT, ALT & AST) in hepatic damage groups (p<0.05). They also have had immuno-stimulating properties as they increased IgG levels in normal and liver damage rats. Histopathological examination of the liver of CCl₄ administrated rats using Hx. & E. stain revealed drastic alteration in liver-architecture. The hepatocytes were disrupted, vacuolated and lost their polyhedral shape. Vacuolation was most obvious in the centrilobular region which showed widespread necrosis. Fat change was also detected (p<0.05). Studying the DNA content of hepatocytes revealed a decrease in the CCl₄ treated group using an image analyzer system. The liver of rats treated with CCl₄ and carotene showed good recovery from CCl₄ induced liver damage as was evident from the well defined hepatic cords and polyhedral hepatocytes with round nuclei. There was also improvement in DNA content of hepatocytes. In conclusion, carotenes may play an important role as neutraceutical preparations, especially, when obtained from wastes of food by-products, which are of low cost.