Evaluation of the Protective Effect of Echinacea purpurea on Iron Overload-Induced Multi-Organ Damage in Male Rats: In Comparison with Vitamin E

By producing reactive oxygen species, primarily reactive hydroxyl radicals, iron overload may contribute to cellular damage and change the integrity of essential organelles. Echinacea Purpura; a medical plant with a root liquid extract contains various biologically active phytochemical compounds. This study aimed to evaluate the protective effect of Echinacea Purpura on bone marrow suppression with liver and spleen cells apoptosis induced by iron overload. Fifty albino rats were divided into five groups: Group (I) negative control intraperitoneally injection with (0.2 ml) normal saline solution every 3 days; with daily oral gavage of (1 ml) normal saline for 4 weeks. Group (II) Iron-overloaded: Rats intraperitoneally injected with (200 mg/kg/day iron dextran every 3 days); with daily oral gavage of (1 ml) normal saline solution for 4 weeks. Group (III) Rats intraperitoneally injected with iron dextran (200 mg/kg/day every 3 days)+Echinacea (100mg/kg/day) orally administered for 4 weeks. Group (IV) Rats intraperitoneally injected with iron dextran (200 mg/kg/day every 3 days)+Echinacea (200mg/kg/day) orally administered for 4 weeks. Groups (V) Rats intraperitoneally injected with iron dextran (200 mg/kg/day every 3 days) and an oil solution of vitamin E (200mg/kg/day) orally administered for 4 weeks. Twenty-four hours following the treatment duration; the animals were euthanized, sacrificed and blood was drawn from the carotid artery in the neck of each male rat to be utilized for the estimation of serum Ferritin, and Hepcidin; liver tissue homogenate for malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase2, and glutathione biomarkers estimation and liver histopathological examination; spleen tissue homogenate utilized to estimate Nuclear factor erythroid 2- related factor 2 and Caspase-3 protein expression. Echinacea Purpura in 200mg showed significant elevation (p<0.05) in the serum hepcidin and antioxidant superoxide dismutase2, glutathione, and Nuclear factor erythroid 2- related factor 2 protein expression levels; with a significant reduction in Ferritin and Malondialdehyde levels and a non-significant elevation in Caspase-3 level.