Hepatoprotective effects of dual-coated and uncoated mixture of probiotics in rats

Probiotics have been used for the treatment of various disorders or as alternative therapies. The stability of dual-coated probiotics is increased in the gastrointestinal environment. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the hepatoprotective effects of dual-coated and uncoated probiotic supplements, following liver injury. Albino Wistar rats were orally treated with probiotics daily and carbon tetrachloride (CCl 4 ) was administered on the seventh and eighth days to induce acute liver damage. Hepatoprotective effects were determined by assessment of serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT) and serum glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (SGPT) activities, as well as by histopathological examination. The CCl 4 -treated control group showed increased SGOT and SGPT activities as compared with the normal control group. However, treatment with probiotics reduced SGOT and SGPT activities, following CCl 4 administration. Animals treated with probiotics showed reduced liver weight than that in the standard CCl 4 group which did not receive probiotics. Histopathological analysis showed that administration of probiotics minimized liver damage by reducing the level of morphological changes and necrosis. Therefore, probiotics may be effective hepatoprotective agents and should be considered useful for the treatment and prevention of hepatic disorders.