Protective effects of Persea americana fruit and seed extracts against chemically induced liver cancer in rats by enhancing their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and apoptotic activities

This study aims to explore the chemopreventive mechanisms of hydroethanolic extracts from avocado (Persea Americana) in diethylnitrosamine (DEN)/2-acetylaminofluorene (2AAF)-induced hepatocarcinogenesis. Chemical induction of hepatocarcinogenesis was induced by intraperitoneal injection of DEN at 150 mg/kg body weight (b.w.) twice a week for a fortnight, followed by oral administration of 2AAF at 20 mg/kg b.w. four times a week for 3 weeks. Rats administered DEN/2AAF were orally treated with hydroethanolic extracts of avocado fruits and seeds at a dose of 50 mg/kg b.w. every other day for 20 weeks. Moreover, rats administered DEN/2AAF and treated with avocado extracts revealed a marked decrease in liver enzyme activities, total bilirubin levels, and elevated liver tumor markers, but revealed an increase in total protein and albumin levels. The hepatocytes with hyperchromatic and bile duct cystadenoma observed in the liver of rats administered DEN/2AAF were reduced due to treatment with avocado extracts. Furthermore, the treatments prevented the elevation of lipid peroxidation levels and ameliorated the lowered glutathione peroxidase, glutathione-S-transferase, super-oxide dismutase activities, and glutathione content in the liver tissues. Also, antigen Ki-67, cyclooxygenase-2, and nuclear factor kappa-B expression levels were decreased, but of the suppressor proteins p53 and BAX levels were increased in the liver of rats administered DEN/2AAF and treated with avocado extracts. In conclusion, the current results demonstrated that avocado extracts could abate hepatocarcinogenesis in rats administered DEN/2AAF through activation of antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and apoptotic properties.