Protective Effect of Fragaria Ananassa Methanolic Extract on Cadmium Chloride (CdCl2)-Induced Hepatotoxicity in Rats
This study investigated the protective effect of Fragaria ananassa methanolic extract on
cadmium chloride (CdCl2)-induced hepatotoxicity in rats. CdCl2 was intraperitoneally injected at
a dose of 6.5 mg/kg of body weight for 5 days with or without methanol extract of Fragaria
ananassa (250 mg/kg). The hepatic cadmium concentration, lipid peroxidation, nitric oxide,
glutathione content and antioxidant enzyme activities, including superoxide dismutase, catalase,
glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase, were estimated. CdCl2 injection induced a
significant elevation in cadmium concentration, lipid peroxidation and nitric oxide and caused a
significant depletion in glutathione content compared to controls, along with a remarkable
decrease in antioxidant enzymes. Oxidative stress induction and cadmium accumulation in the
liver were successfully ameliorated by Fragaria ananassa (strawberry) pre-administration. In
addition, the pre-administration of strawberry decreased the elevated gene expression of the proapoptotic
Bax gene as well as the protein expression of caspases-3 in the liver of CdCl2-injected
rats. In addition, the reduced gene expression of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 was increased. Our results
show an increase in the expression of tumor necrosis factor α in the liver of rats treated with
cadmium. In sum, our results suggested that Fragaria ananassa successfully prevented
deleterious effects on liver function by reinforcing the antioxidant defense system, inhibiting
oxidative stress and reducing apoptosis.
Keywords: Fragaria ananassa; Cadmium chloride; Oxidative stress
