p-Coumaric acid alleviates adriamycin-induced hepatotoxicity in rats

Objective: To evaluate the effect of p -coumaric acid against adriamycin-induced hepatotoxicity in rats. Methods: The rats were divided into 4 groups. The control group received solvent; the p -coumaric acid group was treated with 100 mg/kg of p -coumaric acid orally for five consecutive days; the adriamycin group was administered with a single dose of adriamycin (15 mg/kg, i.p.) , and the p -coumaric acid + adriamycin group was given p -coumaric acid five days before adriamycin administration. Twenty-four hours after the last administration, blood samples were collected for biochemical analysis, and liver tissues were removed for histopathological and immunohistochemistrical studies. Moreover, the levels of tissue lipid peroxidation and enzyme activities of glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, and catalase in liver tissue were measured. Results: Treatment with p -coumaric acid protected the liver from the toxicity of adriamycin by attenuating the increase in alkaline phosphatase, alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, total bilirubin, total cholesterol, triglyceride, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and lessening the decrease in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and albumin. p -Coumaric acid also raised the levels of glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, and catalase, as well as decreased lipid peroxidation in liver tissue and hepatic IL- 1β expression. Additionally, histopathological study confirmed the protective effect of p -coumaric acid against liver damage. Conclusions: p -Coumaric acid can alleviate adriamycin-induced hepatotoxicity.