Effect of lycopene on oxidative stress induced during D-galactosamine/lipopolysaccharide-sensitized liver injury in rats

Context: Lycopene is a phytonutrient under considerable investigation for its antioxidant benefits in treating diseases like cancer, cardiovascular diseases, osteoporosis and diabetes. Objective: This study explores the effect of lycopene against oxidative damage during experimental hepatitis, induced by D-galactosamine/lipopolysaccharide (D-GalN/LPS). Materials and methods: Experimental rats were pretreated with lycopene intraperitoneally for 6 d (10 mg/kg body weight/day) and then induced by D-GalN/LPS. After induction, the levels of lipid peroxides in serum and liver of control and experimental group of animals were measured. The activities of enzymatic antioxidants such as superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione S-transferase and nonenzymatic antioxidants, such as reduced glutathione, vitamin C and vitamin E were also analyzed. The genotoxic effect of D-GalN/LPS was evaluated through the comet assay. Results: The elevated level of lipid peroxides induced by D-GalN/LPS was significantly (p<0.05) reverted in lycopene pretreated animals. Lycopene administration restored (p<0.05) the decreased activities of enzymatic and nonenzymatic antioxidant markers during D-GalN/LPS induction. The DNA strand breaks (72.3 mu M) generated during D-GalN/LPS toxic injury was significantly reduced (35.5 mu M) upon pretreatment with lycopene as observed by reduced tail movement in comet assay. Discussion and conclusion: There is no conclusive report about lycopene-assisted protection against free radical mediated toxic injury induced by D-GalN/LPS. Our findings reveal that lycopene effectively combated oxidative damage and protected antioxidant defense status of the cell. Pretreatment of lycopene also offers protection against the DNA damage and confirms the antioxidant nature of the phytonutreint against experimental hepatitis.