Annual Research & Review in Biology

Aims: The current study was developed to investigate the influence of ginger (G), ginger nanoparticles (GNPs) and ginger nano-base (GNB) on hepato-renal toxicity induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄) in rats in comparison with silymarin (SM).

Place and Duration of Study: Department of Biochemistry and Nutrition, Faculty of Women for Arts, Science and Education, Ain Shams University.

Methodology: Fifty-four adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 6 groups. Group (1): Rats received distilled water orally and injected intraperitoneally (i.p.) with single dose of corn oil (1 ml/kg b.wt). Group (2): Rats were injected with single dose of CCl₄ diluted with corn oil (1:1) (1 ml/kg b.wt. i.p.) at the 4^th week of experiment. Groups (3), (4) and (5): Rats were orally received 50 mg /kg b.wt./day of G, GNPs and GNB, respectively for 8 weeks and injected with CCl₄ as group 2. Group (6): Rats were orally received 100 mg /kg b.wt /day of SM for 8 weeks and injected with CCl₄ as group 2. 

Results: Our results documented that injection with CCl₄ caused significant increase (p<0.05) in liver function tests [serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activities], kidney function tests [serum creatinine, urea, uric acid and cystatin C] and serum levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), Nitric oxide (NO), tumor necrosis factor- alpha (TNF- α) and interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β). On the other hand, there was a significant decrease (p<0.05) in the serum total antioxidant capacity (TAC), Hepatic catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) enzymes activity, with histopathological changes in liver and kidneys tissues. Oral administration of G, GNPs, GNB and SM caused an enhancement of liver and kidney function, decreasing serum oxidants and inflammatory markers levels while increasing the activities of antioxidant enzymes, also an improvement of organs histopathological changes was observed.

Conclusion: Our data proved that using ginger in the form of GNPs and GNB are more efficient in ameliorating hepato-renal toxicity induced by CCl₄ than using native ginger as evidenced by biochemical analysis and histological examination of liver and kidneys tissues.