Protective effects of thymoquinone and carvacrol against the cadmium toxicity in the liver tissues of rats

Abstract Objectives Structural, molecular and immunohistochemical changes in the liver of rats after acute cadmium (Cd) exposure and the effects of carvacrol (Car) and thymoquinone (TQ) were studied in this research. Methods Control, DMSO, Cd-treated (3.5 mg/kg by subcutane), Car (50 mg/kg gavage)-Cd treated, TQ (5 mg/kg by gavage)- Cd treated, carvacrol, and thymoquinone groups were formed.H&E and Masson’s Trichrome stainings were performed. Histological scoring was performed in liver. On the liver sections TNF-a, IL-6, and NF-kB immunostainings were carried out. Also sections of liver tissue were evaluated by electron microscopy. Serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and triglyceride (TG), oxidative stress parameters, MDA and GPx, were evaluated. Tnf-a, Nfkb1, IL6, mTor and Casp3 mRNA gene expression levels were examined using RT-PCR. The obtained data was statistically analyzed using GraphPad Prism software. Results Treatment groups showed significant reduction in ALT and TG when compared to cadmium group.In the cadmium group, MDA levels increased significantly and GPX1 levels decreased compared to the control group. As a results of the microscopic studies, cellular and structural defects by cadmium were decreased in the presence of carvacrol and thymoquinone. NF-kB, TNF-a and IL-6 immunostained surface area increased in cadmium compared to the control group. Cd-Car and Cd+Thymoquinone alleviated these inflammatory expressions. In treatment groups, Nfkb1, Tnf-a, IL6, mTor, Casp3 expressions reduced compared to cadmium alone. Conclusions The study results indicate that carvacrol and thymoquinone alleviate the toxic effects of liver tissue induced by cadmium.