Antioxidant and hepatoprotective effect of Cajanus cajan in N-nitrosodiethylamine-induced liver damage

Abstract

N-Nitrosodiethylamine (NDEA) is a nitrosamine derivative with carcinogenic and mutagenic properties which can be found in tobacco smoke, meat and various food products. This study examined the antioxidant and hepatoprotective potential of Cajanus cajan (C. cajan) with respect to hepatotoxicity in male Wistar rats. Administration of NDEA induced hepatotoxicity at 200 mg/kg while C. cajan was administered (200, 400 and 800 mg/kg) for 28 days. NDEA-induced hepatotoxicity significantly (p ≤ 0.05) increased alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and malondialdehyde (MDA) and significantly (p ≤ 0.05) decreased reduced glutathione (GSH), albumin (ALB), glutathione S-transferase (GST), catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD). C. cajan-treated groups were seen to have significantly (p ≤ 0.05) decreased ALT and AST and significantly (p < 0.05) increased ALB, GST, GSH, SOD and CAT. The NDEA-treated group also showed a marginal increase in body weight and a significant (p ≤ 0.05) increase in liver weight. The C. cajan treated groups showed a significant (p ≤ 0.05) increase and decrease respectively in body and liver weights. Histopathological changes also substantiated NDEA-induced hepatotoxicity and the hepatoprotective effect of C. cajan on the liver. The results indicate that C. cajan has the potential to ameliorate NDEA-induced hepatotoxicity.