The effect of ginger extract and vitamin K on serum levels of liver enzymes in NMRI mice with non-alcoholic fatty liver

Today, the fatty liver disease has been increased due to the wrong life-style. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of ginger extract and vitamin K on serum levels of liver enzymes in mice with non-alcoholic fatty liver. In this study, male NMRI mice were randomly divided into six groups of five including control, sham (received high fat diet), positive control (received silymarin), ginger extract, vitamin K, ginger extract and vitamin K groups. The animals were injected daily with ginger extract and vitamin K (0.2 mg/kg i.p.) for four weeks. Serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) for evaluation of liver bile defects and liver function, and the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) enzymes to determine the antioxidant status of the liver in serum was measured. Serum AST, ALT and ALP levels significantly decreased in ginger extract, vitamin K, ginger extract and vitamin K groups compared to the sham group (P<0.05). However, the serum levels of CAT and SOD were significantly increased (P<0.001). Findings of this study show that due to antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of ginger extract, and also due to an important role of vitamin K in coagulation and proper liver function, ginger extract with vitamin K can improve the function of non-alcoholic fatty liver.