Extract of Coelatura aegyptiaca, a freshwater clam, ameliorates hepatic oxidative stress induced by monosodium glutamate in rats

The purpose of the present work was to evaluate the possible ameliorative effect ofCoelatura aegyptiaca extract (CE) and vitamin C on oxidative stress induced by monosodium glutamate (MSG) in rat liver. Male rats were randomly divided into four main groups: control group, received distilled water, group 2 (100 mg/kg) and 3 (250 mg/kg) received CE for seven consecutive days. Group animals (24 rats) were administered MSG (4 mg/g body weight) daily for 10 days. This group was then subdivided into 4 subgroups. All subgroups treated orally for 7 days with, distilled water (subgroup I), CE at a dose of 100 and 250 mg/kg body weight (subgroups II and III), and 250 mg vitamin C/kg body weight (subgroup IV). Furthermore, the antioxidant activity of the CE was determined using a DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) test system. The CE and vitamin C caused significant ameliorative effects by decreasing the activities of serum aminotransaminases (AST and ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), levels of serum glucose, lipid profile parameters, liver malondialdeyde level (MDA), nitric oxide (NO), superoxide dismutase activity (SOD), as well as the activity of liver catalase (CAT), and increasing the level of liver glutathione reduced (GSH). The results of the present study elucidate that CE could ameliorate the liver oxidative stress induced by MSG administration, since CE was strongly scavenged DPPH radicals and showed antioxidant activity.          Key words: Monosodium glutamate, freshwater extracts, liver oxidative stress, lipid profile parameters, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl.