Effects of umbelliferone on lipid peroxidation and antioxidant status in diethylnitrosamine-induced hepatocellular carcinoma

AimHepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) represents a major source of global mortality, still rising in worldwide. The present study aims at elucidating the antioxidant efficiency of umbelliferone (UMB) in N-Nitrosodiethylamine (DEN) induced rat liver carcinogenesis.MethodsRats were randomly divided into six groups of six rats each as follows. Rats are in group I received standard pellet diet and served as control, group II rats were induced with hepatocellular carcinoma by providing 0.01 % DEN through drinking water 15 weeks. Group III rats received umbelliferone via intragastric intubation at a daily dose of 30 mg/kg body weight for 16 weeks every day. Groups IV–VI rats received 0.01% of DEN as in group II along with umbelliferone via intragastric intubation at a daily dose of 10, 20 and 30 mg/kg body weight for throughout the experimental period of 16 weeks.ResultsDEN induction in experimental animals resulted in increased activities of liver marker enzymes and lipid peroxidation levels and decreased levels of antioxidant enzymes. Umbelliferone treatment restored the elevated activities of liver marker enzymes and antioxidant status to near-normal with decreased lipid peroxidation levels. Histological observations of liver tissue too correlated with the above biochemical findings.ConclusionThese results clearly suggest that umbelliferone treatment prevents liver damage, lipid peroxidation and protects the antioxidant defense system in DEN-induced liver carcinogenesis in rats.