Effect of the pretreatment with acerola (Malpighia emarginata DC.) juice on ethanol-induced oxidative stress in mice – Hepatoprotective potential of acerola juice

This paper aims to investigate the antioxidant properties of acerola juice and its hepatoprotective potential against acute ethanol-induced stress. Ripe acerola were collected, processed into juice and initially analyzed to antioxidant properties in vitro. Afterwards, in vivo hepatoprotective activity was evaluated in mice. The animals received the juice by gavage as pretreatment for 15 consecutive days and then, were submitted to ethanol-induced stress in single dose (5 g/kg). Acerola juice presents great in vitamin C and total phenolic, anthocyanins, flavonols contents and high activity of superoxide dismutase with a total antioxidant activity of 137.5 mmol Trolox/g FW. The juice treatment inhibited lipid peroxidation and reduced the activities of aminotransferases (p < 0.05), in mice liver. These results indicate that acerola juice is able to prevent the hepatic damage induced by ethanol, probably as a result of an enhancement of the antioxidant status in the animals.