Abstract
The metabolites of bromobenzene (BB) are hepatotoxic. The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of different doses of flaxseed extract in alleviating BB-hepatotoxicity in male albino rats. Oxidative stress parameters, drug metabolizing enzymes, a pro-inflammatory marker, an apoptotic marker, and DNA fragmentation pattern were also assessed. Animals were divided into five groups treated by intragastric intubation as follows: control, BB-treated 460 mg kg
−1
BW alone; three animal groups (III, IV, V) were treated concurrently with 460 mg kg
−1
BB daily for 3 weeks and different doses of flaxseeds extract: 100, 200, or 300 mg kg
−1
BW. Oral treatment of BB produced a significant decrease in activities of antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase and glutathione levels, while activities of glutathione reductase and drug-metabolizing enzymes; glutathione-S-transferases and cytochrome P450 were enhanced. BB-treatment resulted in enhanced production of nitric oxide and activation of COX-2 and caspase-3. Pre-treatment with different doses of flaxseeds extract prior and during BB-treatment protected liver against BB-induced hepatotoxicity. The lower dose of flaxseed extract (100 mg kg
−1
) was most effective one.