Protective Effects of Vitamin-P and Vitamin-C on Hypercholesterolemia -induced Oxidative Hepatic Damage and Lipid Profile Changes in Female Rats: A Comparative Study

Article history: Received on: 04/03/2013 Revised on: 19/03/2013 Accepted on: 07/04/2013 Available online: 27/04/2013 The current study aims to compare the oxidative protective effects of vitamin-P and vitamin-C on hypercholesterolemia-induced hepatic damage by high cholesterol diet (HCD) in female Wistar rats. Rats received experimental prepared HCD with or without vitamin-P or C for six consecutive weeks. In plasma, levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), glucose (GLU), albumin (ALB), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), high density lipoprotein (HCD) and low density lipoprotein (LDL) were determined. Levels of lipid peroxidation product, malondialdehyde (MDA), and endogenous antioxidant, reduced glutathione (GSH), as well as TC and TG were also estimated in liver. Finally, histopathological changes were assessed in hepatic tissue. HCD significantly elevated liver enzymes and lipid profile in plasma. Supplementation of vitamin-C significantly normalized this elevation more than vitamin-P. Moreover, liver concentrations of MDA, TC and TG were increased, while GSH levels were decreased by HCD. Vitamin-C showed greater ability to attenuate HCD-induced impairments in hepatic MDA, GSH, TC and TG concentrations than vitamin-P. Both vitamins protected liver tissues against HCD-induced hepatotoxicity as confirmed by the histopathological screening. In conclusion, although both vitamins demonstrated ameliorative effects against HCD-induced oxidative injury, vitamin-C had a greater protective value than vitamin-P.