The effect of diosgenin on mitochondrial health and neutrophil infiltration indices in methotrexate-induced liver damage in the rat

The liver is the largest gland in the body with multiple functions. Methotrexate causes acute and chronic liver damage. In this study, the effects of diosgenin were investigated as a steroidal sapogenin on mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and neutrophil infiltration activity in a methotrexate-induced liver injury model in male rats.

40 rats in 5 groups; control, control treated with diosgenin 50 mg/kg, methotrexate at a dose of 20 mg/kg (i.p) and two groups treated with diosgenin at doses 10, 50 mg/kg (gavage) were divided. The rats were anesthetized and the liver tissue was isolated after killing. After tissue homogeneity, neutrophil infiltration activity and mitochondrial membrane potential were measured. For statistical analysis, one-way ANOVA and Tukey post-test were used, and the significance level was p <0.05.

The potential of the mitochondrial membrane in the methotrexate group treated with diosgenin 10 mg/kg was significantly reduced compared to the control group and in the group treated with diosgenin 50 mg/kg was significantly increased compared to methotrexate. On the other hand, myeloperoxidase increased significantly in the methotrexate group and treated with diosgenin 10 mg/kg compared to the control group and decreased significantly in the group treated with diosgenin 50 mg/kg compared to the methotrexate group.

Diosgenin at a dose of 50 mg/kg in the methotrexate-induced liver injury model was able to improve mitochondrial health and reduced neutrophil infiltration.