The effect of ellagic acid on some apoptotic proteins expression in liver of rats experimentally to made up damage with carbon tetrachloride

Ellagic acid (EA) is a strong antioxidant matter having protecting effect particularly on the liver. The aim of this study was to examine whether EA plays a protective role against the damage in the liver by administering carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) to rats. In study, 36 male Wistar albino (n=36, 8 weeks old) rats have been used. Animals were divided into four groups, and 9 rats involved in each group. The groups were: (i) Control Group: Standard diet; (ii) EA Group: Standard diet + EA; (iii) CCl4 Group: Standard diet + CCl4; (iv) CCl4 + EA Group: Standard diet + CCl4 + EA. After 8 weeks, the rats were decapitated and the liver tissue were examined. Hepatic tissue caspase-3 and bcl-2 expression levels were determined by Western blotting techniques, lipid peroxidation by MDA analysis and catalase level by spectrophotometer method. EA application, in CCl4 + EA group, compared to CCl4 group, caspase-3 and bcl-2 expression creates a significant difference (p<0.05). Caspase-3 expression level increased, but bcl-2 expression level was decreased through the application of EA. The rate of apoptotic index was observed decrease in CCl4 + EA group than CCl4 group at TUNEL assay examinations. These results shows that EA reduce the rate of liver damage at Wistar albino rats and these findings will be guiding in research of inhibitory effect of liver damage of humans like rats.