Dose response effect of rutin a dietary antioxidant on alcohol‐induced prooxidant and antioxidant imbalance – a histopathologic study

The present study was designed to investigate the effect of rutin on ethanol‐induced hepatotoxicity in a dose‐dependent manner in rats. Male albino rats were divided into six groups. Group 1 rats served as control and group 2 rats received rutin 100 mg/kg body weight. Hepatotoxicity was induced in groups 3–6 rats (20% ethanol) for 60 days. In addition, groups 4–6 rats received rutin at doses of 25, 50, 100 mg/kg body weight, respectively for the last 30 days of the experiment. We observed a significant increase in the activities of liver marker enzymes, serum amino transferases, alkaline phosphatase, γ‐glutamyl transpeptidase the levels of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, conjugated dienes, lipid hydroperoxides, and a decrease in the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione and its related enzymes, vitamins C and E when compared to ethanol‐fed rats. Rutin supplementation along with ethanol significantly decreased the levels of liver marker enzymes, lipid peroxidation and significantly elevated the activities of liver SOD, CAT, GSH, glutathione peroxidase, vitamins C and E when compared to untreated ethanol supplemented rats. Among the three doses, 100 mg/kg body weight of rutin was found to exert a more pronounced hepatoprotective effect against ethanol‐induced toxicity. Our results were also confirmed by the histopathologic observations.