Prevention of aflatoxin B1-initiated hepatotoxicity in rat by marine algae extracts

Chernoprevention by extracts of Laurencia obtusa (E1) and Caulerpa prolifera (E2) collected from the Egyptian coast of the Red Sea against affatoxin B, (AFB)-initiated hepatotoxicity in female Sprague-Dawley rats has been studied. Animals were fed aflatoxin-contaminated diet (3 mg kg(-1) diet) for 6 days then treated orally with pure aflatoxin B-1 (AFB(1)) (200 mu g kg(-1) b.w.) for 4 days either in combination with or before E1 or E2 administration (50 mg kg(-1) b.w.). AFB, resulted in a significant increase in serum alpha fetoprotein, carcinoembryonic antigen, tumor necrosis factor alpha, nitric oxide, interieukin-1 alpha, procollagen III and lipid peroxidation level in the liver. It caused a significant decrease in food intake, body weight, serum leptin, the activities of glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase and DNA and RNA concentrations in the liver. Cotreatment with AFB, and El or E2 resulted in an obvious improvement in all tested parameters. Noteworthy, E2 was more effective than E1 in the protection against AFB(1)-induced hepatotoxicity. Copyright (c) 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.