Abstract
The current study was carried out to evaluate the ameliorative effect of fucoidan against aflatoxicosis-induced hepatorenal toxicity in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Sixty-four Wister albino male rats were randomly assigned into eight groups (8 rats each) that received normal saline, fucoidan (FUC) at 100 mg/kg/day orally for 4 weeks, streptozotocin (STZ) at 50 mg/kg/i.p. single dose, STZ plus FUC, aflatoxin B-1 (AFB(1)) at 50 mu g/kg/i.p. after one month of the beginning of the experiment for 2 weeks, AFB(1) plus FUC, STZ plus AFB(1), or STZ plus AFB(1) and FUC. Injection of rats with STZ induced hyperglycemia. Rats with STZ-induced diabetes, with or without AFB(1) intoxication, had significantly elevated activities of serum aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, and alkaline phosphatase, and levels of serum urea, creatinine, cholesterol, 8-oxo-2'-deoxyguanosine, interleukin-1 beta, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha. In addition, these rats exhibited increased lipid peroxidation and reduced glutathione concentration and activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase enzymes in the hepatic and renal tissues. In contrast, administration of FUC to diabetic rats, with or without AFB(1) intoxication, ameliorated the altered serum parameters, reduced oxidative stress, DNA damage, and inflammatory biomarkers, and enhanced the antioxidant defense system in the hepatic and renal tissues. These results indicated that FUC ameliorated diabetes and AFB(1)-induced hepatorenal injuries through alleviating oxidative stress, DNA damage, and inflammation.