Camel milk ameliorates steatohepatitis, insulin resistance and lipid peroxidation in experimental non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
Arafah, Aida A Korish, Maha M. . 2013
Abstract
Background: Camel milk (CM) is gaining increasing recognition due to its beneficial effects in the control and
prevention of multiple health problems. The current study aimed to investigate the effects of CM on the hepatic
biochemical and cellular alterations induced by a high-fat, cholesterol-rich diet (HCD), specifically, non-alcoholic
fatty liver disease (NAFLD).
Methods: Seventy male Wistar rats were divided into four groups: the Control (C) Group fed a standard diet; the
Control + camel milk (CCM) Group fed a standard diet and CM, the Cholesterol (Ch) Group fed a HCD with no CM,
and the Cholesterol + camel milk (ChM) Group fed a HCD and CM. The following parameters were investigated in
the studied groups; basal, weekly random and final fasting blood glucose levels, intraperitoneal glucose tolerance
test (GTT) and insulin tolerance test (ITT), serum insulin, serum lipids, liver functions, lipid peroxidation products, the
antioxidant activity of catalase (CAT) and the levels of reduced glutathione (GSH). In addition, HOMA-IR as an index
of insulin resistance (IR) and the histopathology of the hepatic tissue were assessed.
Results: The Ch Group developed features similar to those of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), characterized
by hepatic steatosis; inflammatory cellular infiltration in liver tissue; altered liver functions; and increased total
cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, very-low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, atherogenic
index (AI), blood glucose, IR, and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. Additionally, feeding the HCD to animals in the Ch
Group decreased CAT activity and the GSH and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels. Camel milk intake
for eight weeks decreased hepatic fat accumulation and inflammatory cellular infiltration, preserved liver function,
increased the GSH levels and CAT activity, decreased the MDA levels, and ameliorated the changes in the lipid
profile, AI, and IR in animals from the ChM Group.
Conclusions: CM has a unique composition that is rich in minerals; vitamins, insulin and insulin-like protein, and
it increased HDL-cholesterol and ameliorated the biochemical and cellular features of NAFLD in rats that received
a HCD. The antioxidant effect of CM is a likely mechanism for the altered metabolism and absorption of HCD in
the presence of CM. Regular consumption of CM could provide a natural way to protect against NAFLD induced
by a high-fat diet.
Keywords: Camel milk, Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, Steatohepatitis, High-fat diet, Insulin resistance,
Hyperlipidemia, Oxidative stress, Rats
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Methotrexate (MTX) is widely used chemotherapeutic and immune suppressant agent. Hepatotoxicity is
a common side effect of chronic MTX therapy. This study investigated the…
Camel milk (CM) has a unique composition rich in antioxidants, trace elements, immunoglobulins, insulin, and insulin-like
proteins. Treatment by CM demonstrated protective effects against…