Protective effect of magnetic water against AlCl3-induced hepatotoxicity in rats

This study aimed to examine whether or not aluminum chloride (AlCl₃)-induced hepatotoxicity might be mitigated using magnetic water (MW) in rats. This study involved 28 adult male rats randomly assigned into the following 4 groups (7 rats/group): normal control (Cnt), MW, AlCl₃, and Al Cl₃ + MW. The Cnt group orally received normal saline, the MW group drank MW ad libitum for 2 months, and the AlCl₃ and AlCl₃ + MW groups were orally administered AlCl₃ (40 mg/kg b.w.) alone or in combination with MW for 2 months, respectively. MW reduced AlCl₃ toxicity as proved at functional, molecular, and structural levels. Functionally, MW reduced serum levels of liver enzymes (ALT, AST, ALP, GGT), while increased total proteins, and albumin. MW also restored redox balance in the liver (lower MDA levels, higher activities of CAT and SOD enzymes, and upregulated expression of NrF2, HO-1, and GST genes. Molecularly, MW downregulated hepatic expression of the epigenetic (HDAC3), inflammatory (IL1β, TNFα, NFκβ), and endoplasmic reticulum stress (XBP1, BIP, CHOP) genes. Structurally, MW enhanced liver histology. With these results, we could conclude that MW has the potential to ameliorate the hepatotoxic effects of AlCl₃ through targeting oxidative stress, inflammation, epigenesis, and endoplasmic reticulum stress.