The Protective Effect of Pomegranate (Punica granatum) Juice against Carbon Tetrachloride-Induced Oxidative Stress in Brain Tissue of Adult Male Albino Rats

This study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of pomegranate (Punica granatum, P.g.) juice on the oxidation state of the brain tissue of adult male albino rats and whether P.g. juice administration improves the activity of the antioxidant enzymes after carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) treatment as an oxidative stress agent. Rats were divided into four groups, Group I (control) was received intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of 300μl saline solution (0.9% NaCl) for 12 weeks; Group II (CCl4 group) was injected i.p. once per week for 10 weeks with CCl4 (2ml/kg body weight); Group III (P.g. group) was administered P.g. juice orally for 12 weeks and Group IV (P.g. + CCl4) was received P.g. 2 weeks before CCl4 injection and continued for 10 weeks; CCl4 was administered as shown in group II, decapitation of all groups were carried out one week after the last dose. Determination of glutathione (GSH) content and the activity of the antioxidant enzymes; catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione S-transferase (GST) and glutathione reductase (GR), also malonaldhyde (MDA) and nitric oxide (NO) levels were carried out. The present results demonstrate that treatment with CCl4 induced biochemical changes in brain tissue as induction of (MDA) and nitrite/nitrate level accompanied with significant decrease in GSH content, SOD, CAT, GPx, GR and GST activities. Administration of P.g. juice alone enhanced the activities of enzymes under investigation and decreased the level of NO. P.g. Juice administration before and during CCl4 treatment attenuated the decrease in the enzymes activities and GSH content of the brain, if compared to CCl4 group. The present study suggest that P.g. juice has a potential protective effect as it can elevate antioxidant defense system, clean up free radicals, lessens oxidative damages and protect the brain tissue against CCl4-induced toxicity. [Sahar M. Mahmoud and Ahmed E. Abdel Moneim. The Protective Effect of Pomegranate (Punica granatum) Juice against Carbon Tetrachloride-Induced Oxidative Stress in Brain Tissue of Adult Male Albino Rats. Life Sci J 2013;10(1):151-158] (ISSN:1097-8135). http://www.lifesciencesite.com. 22