In the present study, the therapeutic effects of dietary supplemental mead acid (MA), an n-9 polyunsaturated fatty acid, was tested in two different acute liver injury rat models. Six-week old Sprague Dawley rats were given basal diet with and without 4.8% MA. One-week later control rats remained on their basal and 4.8% MA diets while treated rats on basal and 4.8% MA diet received a single intraperitoneal injection of 2 mL/kg carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) or 500 mg/kg acetaminophen (APAP). Serum and liver samples were collected 48hrs after CCl4 or APAP injection. Serum biomarkers of hepatotoxicity (aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and total bilirubin (T-BIL)), histopathology, and immunohistochemistry for oxidative stress were examined. Fatty acids in total lipids were also analyzed. Biomarker levels were decreased in the CCl4-or APAP- injected 4.8% MA diet groups compared to the CCl4-or APAP- injected basal diet groups. In serum and liver, the concentration of MA was significantly higher in the MA diet group as compared to controls. Our experimental results demonstrate that MA reduced the severity of liver injury in these models by its antioxidant activity.

View full abstract