Evaluation of the Protective Effect of Acacia senegal Extract against di-(2-ethylhexyl phthalate) Induced Hepato- and Neurotoxicity in Rats

Di-(2-Ethylhexyl phthalate) (DEHP) is an aromatic diester used to improve plasticity of industrial polymers. It exhibited adverse changes in both liver and brain. The current study was planned to evaluate efficiency of Acacia senegal extract to ameliorate against liver and brain toxicity induced by DEHP. In this study, markers of the serum hepatic functions were elevated significantly (P˂0.05) in the DEHP-treated group. In coincide with these results, the antioxidant enzymes declined significantly (P˂0.05) associated with elevation of the lipid peroxidation product (LPO) in liver of DEHP-treated group. Furthermore, DEHP caused decline in activity of the antioxidant enzymes associated with elevation of LPO level in brain tissue. In consistent with these results, DEHP caused elevation of excitatory amino acids with decrease of inhibitory amino acids and monoamines in that tissue. A. senegal extract showed ameliorative effect by restoring activities of the antioxidant enzymes to normalcy with reducing the LPO level in the both tissues.

The electrophoretic protein and lipoprotein patterns in liver tissue presented that the lowest similarity index (SI) values were noticed in the DEHP-treated group (66.67 and 71.43%, respectively). No changes detected in protein and lipoprotein patterns in brain tissue. DEHP caused electrophoretic quantitative mutagenicity by increasing quantity of the α-EST2 band in liver tissue. As regards β-EST enzyme in liver and brain tissues, DEHP caused qualitative mutagenicity leading to decreasing the SI % in liver and brain tissue (66.67 and 25%, respectively). Moreover, it induced cleavage of the genomic DNA in both tissues. A. Senegal extract increased the SI values by restoring the normal bands and hiding the abnormal ones and maintained integrity of the genomic DNA pattern in liver tissue.