Hepatoprotective effect of germanium-containing<i>Spirulina</i>in rats with<scp>d</scp>-galactosamine- and lipopolysaccharide-induced hepatitis

<jats:p>In the present study, the protective effects of dietary<jats:italic>Spirulina</jats:italic>(SP) and germanium-containing<jats:italic>Spirulina</jats:italic>(GeSP) were compared in rats with liver injury induced by an intraperitoneal injection of<jats:sc>d</jats:sc>-galactosamine and lipopolysaccharide (GalN/LPS). Wistar rats were fed one of the following diets: the basal diet (GalN/LPS-CON group;<jats:italic>n</jats:italic>6), the basal diet supplemented with 5 % SP or GeSP (GalN/LPS-SP and GalN/LPS-GeSP group, respectively;<jats:italic>n</jats:italic>7 each). After administering these diets for 7 d, each rat was intraperitoneally injected with GalN/LPS. Increases in plasma alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activities were suppressed in the GalN/LPS-GeSP group (GalN/LPS-CON<jats:italic>v</jats:italic>. GalN/LPS-GeSP: ALT 1052 (<jats:sc>sem</jats:sc>187)<jats:italic>v</jats:italic>. 509 (<jats:sc>sem</jats:sc>88) IU/l and AST 2183 (<jats:sc>sem</jats:sc>368)<jats:italic>v</jats:italic>. 1170 (<jats:sc>sem</jats:sc>196) IU/l) following the injection of GalN/LPS. Plasma levels of interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and TNF-α in GeSP-fed rats were significantly lower when compared with those in the GalN/LPS-CON group (GalN/LPS-CON<jats:italic>v</jats:italic>. GalN/LPS-GeSP: IFN-γ 142·8 (<jats:sc>sem</jats:sc>17·5)<jats:italic>v</jats:italic>. 66·8 (<jats:sc>sem</jats:sc>9·7) pg/ml and TNF-α 72·3 (<jats:sc>sem</jats:sc>15·4)<jats:italic>v</jats:italic>. 31·2 (<jats:sc>sem</jats:sc>6·8) pg/ml). However, the decrease in these levels observed in the GalN/LPS-SP group was not as prominent as those observed in the GalN/LPS-GeSP group. Furthermore, the increase in liver catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities, as well as the level of oxidised glutathione (GSSG), was more suppressed in GeSP-fed rats (GalN/LPS-CON<jats:italic>v</jats:italic>. GalN/LPS-GeSP: CAT 457 (<jats:sc>sem</jats:sc>47)<jats:italic>v</jats:italic>. 262 (<jats:sc>sem</jats:sc>54) U/mg liver protein; GPx 1·30 (<jats:sc>sem</jats:sc>0·11)<jats:italic>v</jats:italic>. 0·53 (<jats:sc>sem</jats:sc>0·09) U/mg liver protein; GSSG 2·18 (<jats:sc>sem</jats:sc>0·33)<jats:italic>v</jats:italic>. 1·31 (<jats:sc>sem</jats:sc>0·24) mmol/kg liver) after the injection of GalN/LPS. These changes were more pronounced in the GalN/LPS-GeSP group than in the GalN/LPS-SP group. These results suggest that GeSP could afford a significant protective effect in the alleviation of GalN/LPS-induced hepatic damage. In addition, the results indicate that GeSP is more effective than SP.</jats:p>