Carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatic and renal damages in rat: inhibitory effects of cacao polyphenol

Here, we investigated the protective effect of cacao polyphenol extract (CPE) on carbon tetrachloride (CCl 4 )-induced hepato-renal oxidative stress in rats. Rats were administered CPE for 7 days and then received intraperitoneal injection of CCl 4 . Two hours after injection, we found that CCl 4 treatment significantly increased biochemical injury markers, lipid peroxides (phosphatidylcholine hydroperoxide (PCOOH) and malondialdehyde (MDA)) and decreased glutathione peroxidase activity in kidney rather than liver, suggesting that kidney is more vulnerable to oxidative stress under the present experimental conditions. CPE supplementation significantly reduced these changes, indicating that this compound has antioxidant properties against CCl 4 -induced oxidative stress. An inhibitory effect of CPE on CCl 4 -induced CYP2E1 mRNA degradation may provide an explanation for CPE antioxidant property. Together, these results provide quantitative evidence of the in vivo antioxidant properties of CPE, especially in terms of PCOOH and MDA levels in the kidneys of CCl 4 -treated rats. Rats were supplemented with CPE prior to CCl 4 treatment. CCl 4 significantly increased PCOOH and MDA in kidney rather than liver, and CPE significantly ameliorated these damages.