Pretreatment hepatoprotective effect of the marine fungus derived from sponge on hepatic toxicity induced by heavy metals in rats

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the pretreatment hepatoprotective effect of the extract of marine-derived fungus Trichurus spiralis Hasselbr (TS) isolated from Hippospongia communis sponge on hepatotoxicity. Twenty-eight male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups (n = 7). Group I served as -ve control, group II served as the induced group receiving subcutaneously for seven days 0.25 mg heavy metal mixtures, group III received (i.p.) TS extract of dose 40 mg for seven days, and group IV served as the protected group pretreated with TS extract for seven days as a protection dose, and then treated with the heavy metal-mixture. The main pathological changes within the liver after heavy-metal mixtures administrations marked hepatic damage evidenced by foci of lobular necrosis with neutrophilic infiltration, adjacent to dysplastic hepatocytes. ALT and AST measurements show a significant increase in group II by 46.20% and 45.12%, respectively. Total protein, elevated by about 38.9% in induction group compared to the -ve control group, in contrast to albumin, decreased as a consequence of metal administration with significant elevation on bilirubin level. The results prove that TS extract possesses a hepatoprotective property due to its proven antioxidant and free-radical scavenging properties.

Figure 1

Schematic overview on important steps involved in the isolation of fungi from marine sponge and in preparation of their secondary metabolites.

Figure 2

The elemental analysis of Trichurus spiralis extract as percentages.

Figure 3

Total phenolic and flavnoids content of Trichurus spiralis extract.

Figure 4

Total antioxidant capacity of Trichurus spiralis extract (6 mg/mL). (The percent of Trichurus spiralis inhibition to word oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation in vitro).

Figure 5

Mortality rat for each group during the study course.

Figure 6

The normal liver showing hepatic architecture formed of cords of hepatocytes separated by hepatic sinusoids (H&E 400x).

Figure 7

((a) and (b)) Light microscopic observations on the histological liver structures of two individual rats from induced toxicity group (group II (a) and (b)). ((c) and (d)) Light microscopic observations on the histological liver structures of two individual rats from induced toxicity group (group II (c) and (d)). ((e) and (f)) Light microscopic observations on the histological liver structures of two individual rats from induced toxicity group (group II (e) and (f)). ((g) and (h)) Light microscopic observations on the histological liver structures of two individual rats from induced toxicity group (group II (g) and (h)).

Figure 8

The liver showing normal hepatic architecture (H&E 400x).

Figure 9

The liver showing preserved hepatic architecture with, mild portal inflammatory infiltrate and frequent apoptotic figures, group IV. (H&E 200x).

Figure 10

Effect of Trichurus spiralis extract on the activity of alanine aminotransferase (ALT, mean ± SD) in rat sera of induced toxicity group comparing to other groups.

Figure 11

Effect of Trichurus spiralis extract on the activity of aspartate aminotransferase (AST, mean ± SD) in rat sera of induced toxicity group comparing to other groups.

Figure 12

Effect of Trichurus spiralis extract on the level of total protein (mean ± SD) in rat sera of induced toxicity group compared to other groups.

Figure 13

Effect of Trichurus spiralis extract on the level of albumin (mean ± SD) in rat sera of induced toxicity group compared to other groups.

Figure 14

Effect of Trichurus spiralis extract on the level of total bilirubin (mean ± SD) in rat sera of induced toxicity group compared to other groups.