Abstract
The excessive extracellular matrix proteins (ECM) caused liver fibrosis. The research was designed to evaluate the impact of antioxidants in broccoli to improve the liver of rats injured by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4). The study included 32 healthy albino rats (Reference Na 83-18), weighing about (170-200gm) were divided into four experimental groups: Group1 (n=7): as normal control, the rats fed a basal diet. Groups from 2 to 4 (n=23): 1ml/kg of CCl4 used to inject the rats intraperitoneally mixed by corn oil at 1:1 twice weekly for three weeks to induced fibrosis. Group 2 (n=8): rats administrated with CCl4 at dose 1ml/kg as a CCl4-treated group. Group 3 (n=7) Group 4 (n=8): used the broccoli extract to feed rats for 15days at dose 100mg/kg.b.w and 200mg/kg.b.w. The results reported that group 2 significantly increases in the liver enzymes (ALT, AST) and in the Malondialdehyde (MDA), a decrease in body weight (B.W) Glutathione-S-Transferase (GST) and vitamin D levels compared to the normal group. Broccoli antioxidants improved and increased B.W and decrease the ALT, AST, and MDA. Also, the GST and VitD levels were increase compared to group 2. Histopathological investigation of group 2, it showed damage and necrosis in hepatocytes, after the treatment, this damage became less and tend to normal liver cell. The study concluded that the protective effects of broccoli antioxidants may improve against liver fibrosis. Therefore, we recommended consuming the broccoli within daily meals to enhance antioxidant capacity.