Effects of Hydroalcoholic Leaf Extract of Avicennia marina on Apoptotic, Inflammatory, Oxidative Stress, and Lipid Peroxidation Indices and Liver Histology of Type 1 Diabetic Rats

Background: Avicennia marina (A. marina) has been traditionally used in the treatment of various diseases due to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Objectives: The study aimed to determine the effect of hydroalcoholic leaf extract of A. marina on apoptotic, inflammatory, oxidative stress, and lipid peroxidation indices and liver histology of type 1 diabetic rats. Methods: In this laboratory research, a total of 40 male Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups including the control group, type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM) group, diabetic group receiving 50 mg/kg of hydroalcoholic extract of A. marina, diabetic group receiving 100 mg/kg of A. marina, and the diabetic group receiving 200 mg/kg of A. marina. The control and DM groups were intraperitoneally administered with 0.5 mL of saline solution as the solvent for 30 days. The experimental groups were intraperi- toneally administered with 0.5 mL of hydroalcoholic extract at doses of 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg for 30 days, respectively. Diabetes mellitus was induced by an intraperitoneal injection of 120 mg/kg of alloxan monohydrate. At the end of treatment, we measured the serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and IL-6. Also, we assessed the levels of BCL2-associated X protein (Bax), B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2), caspase-9, superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), malondialdehyde (MDA), and 8-hydroxy-2’-deoxyguanosine (HOdG-8) using ELISA in liver tissues. Histological changes in the liver were also investigated. Results: The levels of Bcl-2, SOD, CAT, and GPx were significantly higher in the experimental groups receiving 100 and 200 mg/kg of A. marina in a dose-dependent manner than in the DM group. The levels of Bax, caspase-9, MDA, and HOdG-8 were significantly lower in the experimental groups in a dose-dependent manner. Also, the serum levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 were significantly lower in these groups in a dose-dependent manner (P 0.05). However, the differences were not significant in the experimental group receiving 50 mg/kg of A. marina (P 0.05). The results showed that A. marina extract improved the histological changes in the liver of diabetic rats in a dose-dependent manner. Conclusions: The administration of the hydroalcoholic extract of A. marina can improve liver tissue damage and reduce diabetes- related liver complications by decreasing apoptosis, inflammation, oxidative stress, and lipid peroxidation.