Sweet cassava polysaccharide extracts protects against CCl4 liver injury in Wistar rats

The expression levels of phase I (CYP1A1 and CYP1A2) and phase II (GST and UGT) enzyme-coded genes were measured in liver microsomes of 50 Wistar rats fed sweet cassava polysaccharides (SCP), an arabinogalactan type root mucilage. Quantitative and qualitative analyses of the detoxifying enzymes were investigated using reverse transcription polymerase reaction (RT-PCR) and real-time polymerase reaction (Real-time PCR) techniques. The antioxidant properties of the SCP were investigated in vitro and screened and investigated for its hepatoprotective activity in rat. There was significant induction of GSTYa1 and inhibition of CYP1A2. Moreover, an SCP diet was found to significantly increase UGT1A6 mRNA levels and to decrease CYP1A1 mRNA levels in chemically-injured rat liver. SCP ethanol extracts exhibited hydroxyl radical and superoxide scavenging activities in a dose-dependent manner. In vitro and intracellular antioxidative enzyme activity assays demonstrated and confirmed the potential of cassava root extracts as a natural source of mucopolysaccharide substances with potential use in chemoprevention medicine. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.