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Aflatoxin B1-induced hepatorenal impairment in rats via oxidative/inflammatory damage is accompanied by altered purinergic and kynurenine pathways: protective effect of rutin

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Abstract

Purpose

This study investigated the protective effects of rutin against the hepatorenal toxicity of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) exposure in rats.

Methods

Forty male Wistar rats were sorted into five experimental groups of 8 rats per group: control (corn oil), AFB1 (0.75 mg/kg bwt), AFB1 (1.5 mg/kg bwt), rutin (50 mg/kg bwt), and AFB1 (1.5 mg/kg bwt) + rutin (50 mg/kg bet) per oral for 30 days. Twenty-four hours (24 h) after the last treatment, antioxidant/oxidative stress parameters were assayed. Proinflammatory markers, as well as liver and kidney function tests, were assayed. Others include histology, purinergic, and indoleaminergic pathways.

Results

AFB1 co-treatment significantly (p < 0.05) abated AFB1-induced oxidative stress and inflammatory response when compared with the control group. Impaired hepatorenal function parameters and histological damage in the AFB1 group relative to the control were also attenuated following rutin co-treatment. Moreover, alterations in the purinergic molecules and xanthine oxidase activity following AFB1 exposure relative to the control which was accompanied by an increase in the tryptophan catabolism enzymes in the hepatorenal axis were also modulated by rutin co-treatment.

Conclusion

The outcome of this study revealed that rutin attenuated AFB1-induced hepatorenal toxicity in rats. This outcome is likely due to the inhibition of oxidative stress and proinflammatory response-mediated modulation of purinergic molecules and indoleaminergic activities.

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Data availability

No datasets were generated or analysed during the current study.

Code availability

Not applicable.

Abbreviations

SOD:

Superoxide dismutase

CAT:

Catalase

LPO:

Lipid peroxidation

NO:

Nitric oxide

MPO:

Myeloperoxidase

GSH:

Glutathione reduced

GSH-Px:

Glutathione peroxidase

IL-6:

Interleukin-6

ATP:

Adenosine triphosphate

AMP:

Adenosine monophosphate

XO:

Xanthine oxidase

IDO:

Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase

TDO:

Tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase

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Funding

This study was supported by the AE-FUNAI Institutional Based research grant (FUNAI/FS/B1/005) awarded to Azubuike P. Ebokaiwe.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Microbiology, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu Alike Ikwo, Achoro-Ndiagu, Nigeria

    Nworie Okoro

  2. Toxicology and Immunotherapy Research Unit, Department of Biochemistry, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu Alike Ikwo, Achoro-Ndiagu, Nigeria

    Doris Olachi Alilonu & Azubuike Peter Ebokaiwe

  3. Department of Food Science and Technology, University of Nigeria Nsukka, Nsukka, Nigeria

    Martina Chinazom Eze

  4. Department of Physiology, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria

    Jacinta Nkechi Obimma

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  1. Nworie Okoro
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  5. Azubuike Peter Ebokaiwe
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Contributions

NO and APE designed the experiment. DOA, ECM, and JNO experimented. APE did the statistical analysis. APE and NO wrote the draft manuscript, and all authors approved the manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Azubuike Peter Ebokaiwe.

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Ethics approval

The experiment performed in rodents followed standard procedures used in Alex Ekwueme Federal University with approval number AEFUNAI Vol 01/18/23 and according to guidelines in strict compliance with the “Principle of Laboratory Animal Care” (NIH Publication No. 85–23).

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The authors declare no competing interests.

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Okoro, N., Alilonu, D.O., Eze, M.C. et al. Aflatoxin B1-induced hepatorenal impairment in rats via oxidative/inflammatory damage is accompanied by altered purinergic and kynurenine pathways: protective effect of rutin. Nutrire 49, 23 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s41110-024-00265-8

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