TY  - EJOU
AU  - Alsheblak, Mehyar Mohammad 
AU  - Elsherbiny, Nehal M. 
AU  - El-Karef, Amro 
AU  - El-Shishtawy, Mamdouh M. 

TI  - Protective effects of L-carnosine on CCl<sub>4</sub> -induced hepatic injury in rats
T2  - European Cytokine Network

PY  - 2016
VL  - 27
IS  - 1
SN  - 1952-4005

AB  - The present study was undertaken to investigate the possible protective effect of L-carnosine (CAR),
an endogenous dipeptide of alanine and histidine, on carbon tetrachloride (CCl<sub>4</sub>)-induced hepatic injury. Liver
injury was induced in male Sprague-Dawley rats by intraperitoneal (i.p.) injections of CCl<sub>4</sub>, twice weekly for six
weeks. CAR was administered to rats daily, at dose of 250 mg/kg, i.p. At the end of six weeks, blood and liver
tissue specimens were collected. Results show that CAR treatment attenuated the hepatic morphological changes,
necroinflammation and fibrosis induced by CCl<sub>4</sub>, as indicated by hepatic histopathology scoring. In addition, CAR
treatment significantly reduced the CCl<sub>4</sub>-induced elevation of liver-injury parameters in serum. CAR treatment
also combated oxidative stress; possibly by restoring hepatic nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf-2)
levels. Moreover, CAR treatment prevented the activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), as indicated by reduced
α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) expression in the liver, and decreased hepatic inflammation as demonstrated by a
reduction in hepatic tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and restoration of interleukin-10 (IL-10) levels. In conclusion,
CCl<sub>4</sub>-induced hepatic injury was alleviated by CAR treatment. The results suggest that these beneficial, protective
effects are due, at least in part, to its anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic activities.
KW  - CCl<sub>4</sub>-induced hepatic injury
KW  -  carnosine
KW  -  Nrf2
KW  -  α-SMA

DO  - 10.1684/ecn.2016.0372