Hepatoprotective and Antioxidative Effect of Rosmarinic Acid Against Bile Duct Ligated (BDL)-Induced Cholestatic in Male Rats

Cholestasis is a type of liver disease due to structural damage and dysfunction of hepatobiliary system which at first, results in accumulation of bile acids and other toxins in plasma and hepatic tissue. The aim of the current study was to investigate the possible hepatoprotective effects of rosmarinic acid against oxidative stress and liver injury in bile duct ligation (BDL)- induced cholestatic rats.

Twenty-four male Wistar rats (200± 250 g) were randomly divided into three groups; sham- control (N=6), cholestatic (N=9), cholestatic + rosmarinic acid at dose of 20 mg/kg/day (N=9). Biochemical tests (including aspartate amino transferase, AST; alanine amino transferase, ALT; alkaline phosphatase, ALP), oxidative stress markers (such as protein carbonyl, PCO; total thiol, TSH and ferric reducing antioxidant capacity; FRAP) and antioxidant enzymes (including catalase, CAT; super oxide dismutase, SOD; and glutathione peroxidase, GPx) activity were estimated. Also, hematoxylin and eosin staining were determined in the hepatic tissue.

There was a significant increase in AST, ALT, ALP and CAT activity, as well as plasma PCO and FRAP level in cholestatic group as compared to sham- control rats, while the level of TSH, FRAP and GPX in hepatic tissue significantly decreased (P <0.05). Administration of the rosmarinic acid in the cholestatic group significantly decreased activity of ALT and ALP, however it had no a significant effect on oxidative stress markers. As determined by hematoxylin and eosin staining, BDL considerably induced the liver necrosis which markedly alleviated by rosmarinic acid.

In summary our result showed that rosmarinic acid administration attenuated liver damage in BDL rats by decreasing common biochemical tests such as ALT, ALP activity and histopathological indexes.