Radical scavenging abilities and hepatoprotective effect of [N, N′-Bis (salicylidene) ethane-1, 2-diaminato] oxovanadium (IV) complex in CCl4-treated rats

The antioxidant activity of [N, N′-Bis (salicylidene) ethane-1, 2-diaminato] oxovanadium (IV) complex (VO-salen complex) was evaluated using different in vitro evaluating systems including superoxide anion (O2−) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) scavenging activities. In addition, the inhibitory effects of this compound on protein oxidation and inhibition of Fe2+/ascorbate-induced lipid peroxidation were studied using rat liver homogenate. In vitro results revealed that the VO-salen complex has strong inhibitory effects on protein oxidation and lipid peroxidation of the liver homogenate along with a concentration-dependent quenching of H2O2 and O2− radicals. In an in vivo approach, hepatoprotective potential of the VO-salen complex against liver damages induced by CCl4 treatment was also investigated. After intraperitoneal injection of CCl4 to rats, various biochemical changes associated with liver injury and/or oxidative stress were measured. The results showed that the sera levels of ALT, AST, ALP and the content of hepatic thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) were all increased and the glutathione (GSH) content and the hepatic superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities were decreased in CCl4-treated rats. However, simultaneous treatment of rats with VO-salen (0.6 mg/kg) and CCl4 significantly attenuated the sera levels of ALT, AST, ALP and the hepatic TBARS content. In addition, by VO-salen therapy, the hepatic SOD and CAT activities and the GSH content were all restored back almost to their normal levels. The liver damages were also significantly ameliorated as compared to the CCl4-treated rats. Based on these results, the VO-salen complex might be considered as an effective antioxidant and hepatoprotective agent suitable for further biological evaluation.