The present study focuses on fibrotic effects on rat liver tissue induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄) injection and the possible protective effects of spirulina algae (SP) and/or aminoguanidine (AG) on induced histological and biochemical changes.
To achieve this goal, a comparison was conducted between control and fibrotic groups (60 rats each). Fibrotic rats model was induced by the injection with an intraperitoneal dose of 2.0 ml/kg body weight CCl₄ twice/ week for four weeks to induce fibrosis. Control group was divided into four subgroups (n=15) as follows: control given saline through orogastric tube; SP administered with SP at a dose of 1g/kg/b.wt; AG administered with AG at a dose of 100 mg AG/kg/b.wt; double treatment group with SP+AG at the aforementioned doses (1g/kg/b.wt of SP+ 100mg/kg/b.wt of AG). Fibrotic groups were similarly subdivided into 4 subgroups (n=15): fibrotic non-treated; SP; AG and SP + AG as a mixture treated subgroups. The study extended for 3 time intervals, 2, 4 and 6 weeks (n=5/ intervals).
Histological alterations in liver tissue of fibrotic rats included hepatocytes degeneration with pyknotic nuclei and connective tissue fibers proliferation using haemtoxylin & eosin and silver impregnation technique for investigations. Biochemical results showed significant (P˂0.05) increase in serum levels of α-fetoprotein (AFP), carcino embryonic antigen (CEA), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α). On the other hand, significant (P˂0.05) decrease in activity of cytochrome P₄₅₀ content (CYP-450) was recorded in fibrotic rats compared with the normal controls.
When fibrotic subgroups were treated with SP and/or AG, considerable protective effects in previous biochemical and histological parameters were recorded especially in mixture treated group.