hepatoprotective effect of satureja khuzestanica essential oil and vitamin e in experimental hyperthyroid rats: evidence for role of antioxidant effect

background: hyperthyroidism is associated with liver oxidative stress causing liver dysfunction in many hyperthyroid patients. the hepatoprotective effect of satureja khuzestanica essential oil (skeo), as herbal origin antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent on the hyperthyroidism induced hepatotoxicity and oxidative stress is investigated. methods: adult male sprague dawley rats were divided into categories of; control (group c), hyperthyroid (group h), hyperthyroid with olive oil (group h+o), hyperthyroid with vitamin e (group h+e), hyperthyroid with skeo (group h+s), combination of hyperthyroid with vitamin e and skeo (group h+s+e). hepatoprotective and antioxidant properties of skeo with or without vitamin e in hyperthyroid rats were then investigated. results: serum aspartate transaminase (ast) and alanine transaminase (alt) activities reduced significantly in h+o, h+e, h+s and h+s+e groups in comparison with hyperthyroid rats. enzymes activities returned to normal in h+s+e group. hepatic malondialdehyde (mda) was reduced in h+e, h+s and h+s+e groups in comparison with hyperthyroid rats. the most significant mda reduction was in the h+s+e group. glutathione peroxidase (gpx) and glutathione reductase (gr) activities increased in h+e, h+s and h+s+e groups in comparison with group h. the largest increment in gpx and gr activities were in the h+s+e group. glutathione level did not change in any group in comparison with the control group. conclusion: administration of skeo has hepatoprotective effect in hyperthyroid rats and is more effective when used in combination with vitamin e.