Camel's milk alleviates alcohol-induced liver injury in rats

Alcoholic liver disease (AID) represents a spectrum of clinical illness and morphological changes that range from fatty liver, hepatic inflammation and necrosis to progressive fibrosis. For the etiology of AID, oxidative stress, increased expression of proinflammatory cytokines and apoptosis have been described. The present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of camel's milk (CM) in alleviating alcohol-induced hepatotoxicity as a model of clinical liver illness. Male rats were grouped into four groups from which one group received normal saline and served as control. Groups from 2 to 4 received a daily oral dose of 56% ethanol for 4 weeks. Group 2 served as untreated control while groups 3 and 4 were respectively treated with CM either in a prophylactic or a curative approach. Alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, triglycerides, as well as cholesterol levels were estimated in the serum. Malondialdehyde, total antioxidant capacity, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha levels along with caspase-3 activity were determined in liver tissue homogenate. A histopathological analysis of liver tissue was also achieved. Results showed amelioration of all tested parameters following administration of CM. Conclusively, treatment with camel's milk alleviates alcohol-associated hazards and protects hepatic tissue from alcohol-induced toxicity. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.