Modulación de la expresión génica de marcadores antioxidantes por el extracto de Cynara scolymus en el daño hepático inducido por tioacetamida en ratas

Introduction: This study evaluated the antioxidant potential of Cynara scolymus extract on the gene expression of liver antioxidant enzymes in a model of thioacetamide-induced liver damage in Wistar rats. Method: Thirty male Wistar rats were administered thioacetamide at a dose of 100 mg/kg, intraperitoneally, twice a week for 8 weeks. The therapeutic potential of two doses of Cynara scolymus extract (100 and 200 mg/kg) was evaluated in comparison with silymarin as a standard treatment using spectrophotometry and polymerase chain reaction. Results: Spectrophotometric analysis of the homogenized liver samples revealed a significant decrease in the lipid peroxidation marker malondialdehyde and a significant increase in the antioxidant molecules catalase, glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase (restoration rates of 87 %, 95 % and 81 % normalized against silymarin). Analysis of gene expression revealed that treatment with Cynara scolymus extract (100 or 200 mg/kg, daily by oral route, for 8 weeks) produced a dose-dependent increase in the expression of antioxidant enzymes, surpassing the effects of standard silymarin. The Cynara Scolymus extract (100 mg/kg) increased the expression of catalase, glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase up to 1.85 times, 1.76 times and 1.92 times, respectively. These effects were greater with 200 mg/kg, reaching 2.43 times for catalase, 2.24 times for glutathione peroxidase and 2.58 times for superoxide dismutase. Conclusions: These findings suggest that Cynara scolymus exhibits powerful hepatoprotective effects through the regulation of the gene expression of antioxidant enzymes, constituting a promising therapeutic approach for the treatment of liver damage.