Protective effects of boric acid possessing antioxidant and cytoprotective properties against cyclophosphamide-induced liver damage in rats: A histopathological and stereological study

Abstract

Objective: Our study was conducted to investigate the potential protective activities of boric acid (BA), which exhibits antioxidant and protective properties against cyclophosphamide (CP)-induced liver injury in rats, using histopathological and stereological methods. Methods: Twelve-week-old rats were randomly assigned to one of four groups of eight animals each: Control (Cont: receiving 1 ml tap water by oral gavage for 7 days), CP (a single intraperitoneal (i.p.) dose of 150 mg/kg, BA (15 mg/kg/day, orally for 7 days), and CP+BA (a single dose of 150 mg/kg CP i.p., plus 15 mg/kg/day BA by oral gavage for 7 days). At the end of the experiment, liver tissues were collected after anesthesia and decapitation. Total liver and sinusoidal volumes were estimated using the Cavalieri method. Hematoxylin-eosin, Masson trichrome, and periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) staining were applied for histopathological evaluations. Results: Stereological analysis revealed a statistically significant increase in total liver volume in the CP group compared to the Cont (p=0.004) and CP+BA groups (p=0.045). Sinusoidal volume was also significantly higher in the CP group compared to the Cont (p=0.001) and CP+BA groups (p=0.037). Histopathological examination revealed impaired hepatic architecture, hepatocyte degeneration, and increased sinusoidal dilatation and mast cell density in the CP group. In contrast, a partially preserved liver histology with reduced degeneration was observed in the CP+BA group. Conclusion: BA treatment exhibits a partial hepatoprotective effect against CP-induced liver injury, as shown by both the stereological and histopathological analyses. The study findings indicate the hepatoprotective potential of BA treatment and suggest that it represents a promising candidate for therapeutic use.

Keywords

• Boric acid
• Cyclophosphamide
• Liver damage

Sıçanlarda siklofosfamid kaynaklı karaciğer hasarına karşı antioksidan ve sitoprotektif özelliklere sahip borik asidin koruyucu etkileri: Histopatolojik ve stereolojik bir çalışma

Abstract

Amaç: Çalışmamızda, histopatolojik ve stereolojik yöntemler kullanarak sıçanlarda siklofosfamid (CP) kaynaklı karaciğer hasarına karşı antioksidan ve koruyucu özelliklere sahip olan borik asidin (BA) potansiyel koruyucu rolünü değerlendirmeyi amaçlamaktadır. Yöntemler: Çalışmamızda 12 haftalık sıçanı rastgele dört gruba ayrıldı (n=8): Kontrol (Cont: 7 gün boyunca oral gavaj ile 1ml çeşme suyu), CP (tek doz 150 mg/kg, i.p.), BA (15 mg/kg/gün, 7 gün boyunca oral) ve CP+BA (tek doz 150 mg/kg, i.p CP, 7 gün boyunca oral gavaj ile 15 mg/kg/gün BA). Deney sonuunda, anestezi ve dekapitasyonun ardından karaciğerdokuları toplandı. Toplam karaciğer ve sinüzoidal hacimler Cavalieri yöntemi kullanılarak tahmin edildi. Histopatholojikdeğerlendirmeler için hematoksilen-Eozin, Masson trikromu ve PAS boyamalar yapıldı. Bulgular: Stereolojik analiz, CP grubunda Cont (p=0.004) ve CP+BA (p=0.045) gruplarına kıyasla toplam karaciğer hacminde istatistiksel olarak anlamlı bir artış olduğu gözlendi. Sinüzoidal hacim de CP grubunda Cont (p=0.001) ve CP+BA (p=0.037) gruplarına kıyasla anlamlı bir şekilde arttış görüldü. Histopatolojik olarak, CP grubunda bozulmuş hepatik mimari, hepatosit dejenerasyonu ve artmış sinüzoidal dilatasyon ve mast hücre yoğunluğu görüldü. Buna karşılık, CP+BA grubunda dejenerasyonun azaldığı kısmen korunmuş karaciğer histolojisi görüldü. Sonuç: BA tedavisi, hem stereolojik hem de histopatolojik analizlerle gösterildiği üzere, CP kaynaklı karaciğer hasarına karşı kısmi hepatoprotektif etki göstermektedir. Çalışmamız, BA tedavisi hepatoprotektif potansiyelini ortaya koymakta ve olası terapötik kullanımı açısından umut verici bir aday olduğunu düşündürmektedir.

Keywords

• Borik ait
• Siklofosfamid
• Karaciğer hasarı

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