Protective Role of Pomegranate Peel (Punica granatum L) against Thioacetamide-Induced cirrhosis in a Rat Model

This study was designed to determine the effects of pomegranate peel on various antioxidiants measurements in liver cirrhosis of rats induced by thioacetamide.Fifty-seven male rats aged 13–15 weeks were randomly divided into 15 categories containing 5 rats per category, and were treated with either TAA, PP, or PP plus TAA or Selenium plus TAA or administered with 0.9% physiological saline solution as a control. The hepatoprotective effect of herbs was evaluated by measuring levels of antioxidiant marker enzymes such as Glutathione Peroxidase (GSH-Px) and Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) and measurement Malondialdehyde (MDA). The histological studies were also carried out to support the above parameters by using special stain Haemotoxlin eosin and using immunofluorescent staining to examine the distribution of DDR2 in the liver. The study found that the supplementation of pomegranate peel significantly (p 0.05) reduced the damaging effects on the liver by TAA. GSH, SOD increased in the treatment group, but serum MDA level was declined due to the hepatic injury induced. A comparative histopathological research of the liver between different groups demonstrated that pomegranate peel, drive to normal liver architecture suggesting they may use as a hepatoprotective alternative medication.r