Investigating the Effects of Ellagic Acid on Thioacetamide-Induced Acute Liver Damage and Subsequent Encephalopathy in Rats

Background and purpose: Ellagic acid is a natural polyphenol compound with potential antioxidant properties that is present in most fruits, seeds, and vegetables. Therefore, this study was designed to investigate the effects of ellagic acid administration on the liver damage model caused by thioacetamide in rats. Materials and methods: In this experimental study, 60 male Wistar rats weighing approximately 200 grams were randomly divided into six groups (n=10). Liver damage was caused by a single dose (100 mg/kg) administration of thioacetamide for three consecutive days. Different doses of ellagic acid (10, 25 and 50 mg/kg) were administered to the sick mice as a single dose for three consecutive days. Finally, 24 hours after the last injection, biochemical factors (ALP, AST, ALT, LDH, bilirubin, total protein), oxidative stress markers (LPO, ROS, FRAP, GSH), ammonium ion concentration, and movement activity of the mice were examined. One-way analysis of variance and Tukey's post hoc test were used for statistical analysis. Results: Thioacetamide led to a significant increase in serum biochemical factors and oxidative stress markers in the studied groups (P<0.05). In addition, the amount of ammonium ion in the plasma, as a key effective factor in hepatic encephalopathy, was greatly increased in animals receiving thioacetamide (P<0.05). Administration of ellagic acid in different doses significantly reduced liver damage and plasma ammonium concentration (P<0.05). Conclusion: The results of this study showed that ellagic acid reduced liver damage caused by thioacetamide through its antioxidant activities.