Ameliorative effects of pomegranate on carbon tetrachloride hepatotoxicity in rats: A molecular and histopathological study

The present study aimed to investigate the molecular mechanism underlying the hepatoprotective effects of pomegranate (POM) against oxidative stress in a rat model of carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced liver damage. Injection of rats with CCl4 resulted in hepatic inflammation and lipid accumulation via the upregulation of interleukin (IL)-6 and sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1c (SREBP-1c) mRNA expression. CCl4 induced downregulation of the anti-inflammatory factors alpha 2-macroglobulin (alpha-2M) and IL-10 in comparison with the POM treated group. In addition, CCl4 induced downregulation of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione S-transferase (GST) and catalase (CAT) expression. Conversely, prior administration of POM counteracted the deleterious alterations induced by CCl4. POM downregulated CCl4-induced IL-6 upregulation, normalized the increase in SREBP-1c expression, and prevented CCl4-induced alpha-2M downregulation. POM counteracted CCl4-induced alterations via immunosuppressive, anti-inflammatory and regenerative effects by upregulating transforming growth factor-beta 1, HSP70 and IL-10 mRNA expression. In addition, POM increased reactive oxygen species scavenging activity by augmenting the antioxidant defense mechanism against CCl4 hepatotoxicity, as demonstrated by detecting SOD, CAT and GST expression. These results confirm that, at the molecular level, POM exerts hepatoprotective effects against CCl4-induced oxidative stress and liver tissue damage.