Hepatoprotective activity of lycopene in experimental paracetamol-induced liver injury in rats

Aim: To evaluate the hepatoprotective effects of lycopene pretreatment in paracetamol-induced liver damage (PILD). Methods: Wistar rats were administered oral lycopene (4 mg/kg/day) by gastric lavage for 8 days. Subsequently, 3 g/kg paracetamol was administered on day 8. After 24 and 72 h, animals were euthanized, and intracardiac blood samples were collected to measure levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), gamma-glutamyl transferase, and alkaline phosphatase (ALP). In addition, the liver was harvested for histological analyses. Results: Negative and positive control groups (treated with saline or paracetamol on day 8, respectively) were compared with lycopene- and lycopene-paracetamol-treated (lycopene+paracetamol on day 8) groups. Notably, we observed that 24 h after PILD, lycopene treatment significantly reduced serum transaminase (ALT/AST) levels when compared with those in the saline-treated group. Conclusion: Lycopene improved liver recovery following PILD. Although lycopene exhibits antioxidant action and has been indicated for liver diseases, its use must be cautiously undertaken, especially considering the liver patholog y involved, as results may vary for each underlying factor.