Hepatoprotective effect of Thymus vulgaris extract on sodium nitrite-induced changes in oxidative stress, antioxidant and inflammatory marker expression

• Published in: Scientific reports Vol. 11; no. 1; p. 5747
• Main Authors: Soliman, Mohamed Mohamed, Aldhahrani, Adil, Metwally, Mohammed M. M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 11.03.2021; Nature Publishing Group; Nature Portfolio
• Subjects: 631/337; 631/80; 692/308; Alanine; Alanine transaminase; Antioxidants; Aspartate aminotransferase; Glutathione; Hepatocytes; Humanities and Social Sciences; IL-1β; Inflammation; Interleukin 6; Malondialdehyde; multidisciplinary; Oxidative stress; Plant extracts; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Sodium; Sodium nitrite; Superoxide dismutase; Thioredoxin; Thymus vulgaris; Tumor necrosis factor-α
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-85264-9

The herb thyme ( Thymus vulgaris ) has multiple therapeutic uses. In this study, we explored how T. vulgaris leaf extract protects liver cells against sodium nitrite-(NaNO 2 ) induced oxidative stress. Mice were divided into four groups; each group received one of the following treatments orally: saline; T. vulgaris extract alone; NaNO 2 alone; or T. vulgaris extract + NaNO 2 . Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), reduced glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, and total proteins were measured in serum using standard methods. TNF-α, hemooxygenase-1 (HO-1), thioredoxin, SOD, and GSH synthase, all of which are linked to oxidative stress, were measured using quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). In mice treated with T. vulgaris extract, the effect of NaNO 2 on ALT and AST levels and total proteins was reduced, and its effect on antioxidant levels was reversed. Normally, NaNO 2 causes hepatocyte congestion and severe hepatic central vein congestion. Tissues in the mice treated with T. vulgaris were restored to normal conditions. Our results demonstrate that NaNO 2 -induced hepatic injury is significantly reduced by pretreatment with T. vulgaris extract, which protects against hepatic oxidative stress and its associated genes at the biochemical, molecular, and cellular levels.