Alcohol and Alcoholism Advance Access originally published online on March 30, 2006
Alcohol and Alcoholism 2006 41(3):267-273; doi:10.1093/alcalc/agl020
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FENUGREEK (TRIGONELLA FOENUM GRAECUM) SEED EXTRACT PREVENTS ETHANOL-INDUCED TOXICITY AND APOPTOSIS IN CHANG LIVER CELLS
1 Department of Biochemistry, Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar 608 002, Tamil Nadu, India and 2 Department of Virology, King Institute of Preventive Medicine, Guindy, Chennai 600 014, Tamil Nadu, India
* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed at: Tel.: +914144-238343; Fax: +914144-239141; E-mail: cvaradha{at}hotmail.com
(Received 4 January 2006; first review notified 9 Feburary 2006; in revised form 13 Feburary 2006; accepted 15 Feburary 2006)
The protective effect of a polyphenolic extract of fenugreek seeds (FPEt) against ethanol (EtOH)-induced toxicity was investigated in human Chang liver cells. Cells were incubated with either 30 mM EtOH alone or together in the presence of seed extract for 24 h. Assays were performed in treated cells to evaluate the ability of seeds to prevent the toxic effects of EtOH. EtOH treatment suppressed the growth of Chang liver cells and induced cytotoxicity, oxygen radical formation and mitochondrial dysfunction. Reduced glutathione (GSH) concentration was decreased significantly (P < 0.05) while oxidized glutathione (GSSG) concentration was significantly elevated in EtOH-treated cells as compared with normal cells. Incubation of FPEt along with EtOH significantly increased cell viability in a dose-dependent manner, caused a reduction in lactate dehydrogenase leakage and normalized GSH/GSSG ratio. The extract dose-dependently reduced thiobarbituric acid reactive substances formation. Apoptosis was observed in EtOH-treated cells while FPEt reduced apoptosis by decreasing the accumulation of sub-G1 phase cells. The cytoprotective effects of FPEt were comparable with those of a positive control silymarin, a known hepatoprotective agent. The findings suggest that the polyphenolic compounds of fenugreek seeds can be considered cytoprotective during EtOH-induced liver damage.