Hydroxytyrosol improving metabolic response by amelioration of oxidative stress following arsenic exposure in rat liver

Present study was planned to evaluate the hepatoprotective potential of hydroxytyrosol (HT) against arsenic (As)-induced oxidative stress in rats. Rats were divided into four groups i.e. control, HT-treated, As-treated and As + HT-treated groups. Arsenic-treated group was administered with 25 ppm of sodium arsenite dissolved in distilled water for 8 weeks while HT was given at dose of 10 mg/kg b. wt. for 8 weeks. Results showed that As exposure resulted in its accumulation in the liver and caused hepatic oxidative damage as depicted from increased lipid peroxidation and protein oxidation followed by decreased glutathione content. Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy also confirmed molecular and structural alteration in lipids and proteins of rat liver tissue. Hepatic cellular apoptosis was confirmed by TUNEL assay that clearly showed significant increase in apoptotic cells in As-exposed rats. The generation of oxidative stress in liver further inflicted alteration in mitochondrial bioenergetics as evident by decreased activities of mitochondrial complexes and depressed antioxidant system in liver mitochondria. Co-administration of HT with As significantly ameliorated hepatic oxidative stress and improved mitochondrial functions in rats. The results indicate that HT has the potential to improve the mitochondrial metabolic response by the attenuation of As-induced oxidative stress generation in rat liver.Y