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Ameliorative or corrective effects of Fig “Ficus carica” extract on nickel-induced hepatotoxicity in Wistar rats

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Abstract

Many heavy metals and metalloids (e.g., Pb, Cd, and Ni) can contaminate the environment and cause severe health problems. Through this study, investigated the possible corrective effects of Ficus carica extract (FCE) against nickel (Ni) induced stress response and damage on the liver of rats. Male Wistar rats were divided into four groups (8 rats per group) and co-treated with FCE (350 mg/kg) and exposed to Nickel chloride (10 mg/kg) for 4 weeks. The volatile compounds of FCE were characterized by solid phase micro-extraction (SPME) coupled with GC–MS, and the biochemical parameters of stress were determined. The SPME–GC/MS analysis of FCE indicated the presence of thirty (30) phyto-bioactive compounds including alcohols, aldehydes, organic acids, ketones, furans, terpenes, ester and others. The best capacity for scavenging DPPH free radicals and metal chelating were found with the IC50 values of 0.49 and 2.91 mg/mL, respectively. Ni induced damage to various macromolecules. Malondialdehyde, protein carbonyls, alanine aminotransferase and gamma glutamyl transferarse levels were significantly increased in Ni exposed group compared to control group and co-treatment with FCE reduced the levels of these parameters. In conclusion, current findings showed that Ni-induced oxidative damage and the administration of FCE can improve correct and restore the alteration in the rat liver.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Experimental Bio-Toxicology, Bio-Depollution and Phyto-Remediation, Department of Biology, Faculty of Nature and Life Sciences, University of Oran 1 Ahmed Ben Bella, 31000, Oran, Algeria

    Souhila Nemiche & Nadia Ait Hamadouche

  2. Department of Biology, Faculty of Nature and Life Sciences, University of Mostaganem, 27000, Mostaganem, Algeria

    Saïd Nemmiche

  3. Laboratory of General and Organic Chemistry, University of Liege, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, Gembloux, Belgium

    Marie-Laure Fauconnier

  4. Service of Pathology, University Hospital of Sidi Bel Abbes, Sidi Bel Abbes, Algeria

    Abdenacer Tou

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  1. Souhila Nemiche
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  2. Nadia Ait Hamadouche
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  3. Saïd Nemmiche
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  4. Marie-Laure Fauconnier
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  5. Abdenacer Tou
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Correspondence to Saïd Nemmiche.

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All animal experiments were conducted in accordance with the ethical principles and institutional guidelines of the National Institutes of Health Guide for the care and use of laboratory animals.

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Nemiche, S., Ait Hamadouche, N., Nemmiche, S. et al. Ameliorative or corrective effects of Fig “Ficus carica” extract on nickel-induced hepatotoxicity in Wistar rats. Toxicol Res. 38, 311–321 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s43188-021-00118-w

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