Abstract
This study is aimed at evaluating the preventive effect and at suggesting the mode of actions of naringin and hesperidin and their combination in diclofenac-induced hepatotoxicity. Male Wistar rats, intraperitoneally injected with diclofenac sodium (3 mg/kg b.wt/day), were orally treated with naringin (20 mg/kg b.wt/day) and hesperidin (20 mg/kg b.wt/day) and their combination for 4 weeks. The administrations of naringin and hesperidin to diclofenac-injected rats led to a significant decrease in the elevated serum ALT, AST, LDH, ALP, GGT, total bilirubin, TNF-α, and IL-17 levels as well as liver lipid peroxidation and liver p53 and caspase-3 mRNA expressions. In contrast, serum IL-4 level, liver GSH content, and liver GPx and SOD activities increased. In association, diclofenac-induced deleterious histological alterations including hydropic degeneration, cytoplasmic vacuolization, apoptosis, and focal hepatic necrosis of hepatocytes associated with inflammatory cells' infiltration were remarkably improved by treatments with naringin and hesperidin. In conclusion, naringin, hesperidin, and their combination, which was the most potent, counteract diclofenac-induced liver injury via antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiapoptotic actions. Thus, this study recommends the use of naringin and hesperidin or their combination to resolve the side effects of drugs like diclofenac on the liver.