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The protective effect of silymarin on the carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced liver injury in common carp (Cyprinus carpio)

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Abstract

Silymarin, a mixture of bioactive flavonolignans from the milk thistle (Silybum marianum), is traditionally used in herbal medicine to defend against various hepatotoxic agents. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the protective effect of silymarin against carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced liver injury in fish. Common carp, with an average initial weight of 17.0 ± 1.1 g, were fed diet containing four doses of silymarin (0, 0.1, 0.5, and 1 g/kg diet) for 60 d. Fish were then given an intraperitoneal injection of CCl4 (30% in arachis oil) at a dose of 0.5 ml/kg body weight. At 72 h after CCl4 injection, blood and liver samples were collected for the analyses of serum biochemical parameters, liver index, peroxidation product, glutathione, and antioxidant enzyme activities. The results showed that administration of silymarin at 0.5 and 1 g/kg diet for 60 d prior to CCl4 intoxication significantly reduced the elevated activities of glutamate pyruvate transaminase, glutamate oxalate transaminase, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and increased the reduced levels of total protein and albumin in the serum. The reduced levels of liver index, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, catalase, glutathione, and total antioxidant capacity were markedly increased, and malondialdehyde formation was significantly restrained in the liver. However, these parameters, except LDH, were not significantly changed in fish fed with silymarin at 0.1 g/kg diet. Based on the results, it can be concluded that silymarin has protective effect against CCl4-induced hepatotoxicity in fish. It is suggested that silymarin may be used as a hepatoprotective agent to prevent liver diseases in fish.

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Acknowledgments

This study was funded by Ministry of Science and Technology of the People's Republic of China (2009DFA32620), Wuxi Municipal Bureau on Science and Technology (CZE00906), and Jiangsu Science and Technology Department (BK2012535).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Open Laboratory for Genetic Breeding of Aquatic Animals and Aquaculture Biology, Ministry of Agriculture, Freshwater Fisheries Research Center, Chinese Academy of Fishery Science, No. 9 East Shanshui Rd., Wuxi, 214081, China

    Rui Jia, Liping Cao, Jinliang Du, Pao Xu & Guojun Yin

  2. Research Institute for Fisheries, Aquaculture and Irrigation, Anna light 8, Szarvas, 4440, Hungary

    Galina Jeney

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  1. Rui Jia
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  2. Liping Cao
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  6. Guojun Yin
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Correspondence to Guojun Yin.

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Editor: T. Okamoto

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Jia, R., Cao, L., Du, J. et al. The protective effect of silymarin on the carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced liver injury in common carp (Cyprinus carpio). In Vitro Cell.Dev.Biol.-Animal 49, 155–161 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11626-013-9587-3

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