Ameliorative Effect of Cinnamon and Rosemary Oils in Acrylamide–Induced Hepatic Injury in Rats

Abstract

Liver diseases can result from various causes, such as viruses, bacteria, autoimmune disorders, or certain medications and toxic substances. While modern medicine offers treatments for these conditions, there needs to be more effective drugs that can protect and regenerate liver cells. Therefore, it is crucial to identify new treatment options and liver-protective agents that are both highly efficient and safe. This study is assigned to investigate the adverse effects of acrylamide on the liver in rats and explore whether these effects can be mitigated by co-administration of cinnamon oil (C.O.), rosemary oil (R.O.), or a combination of both oils during acrylamide exposure. A total of 70 male albino rats were divided randomly into 7 groups, each group of 10 rats, that received different treatments: control group, acrylamide-treated group (20 mg/kg b.wt), cinnamon oil-treated group (200 mg/kg b.wt), rosemary oil-treated group (250 mg/kg b.wt), acrylamide and cinnamon oil-treated group, acrylamide and rosemary oil-treated group, and acrylamide, cinnamon oil, and rosemary oil-treated group. These treatments were administered orally for 28 consecutive days. Blood and liver tissue samples were gathered at the end of the study to assess the outcomes. The results revealed that cinnamon oil and rosemary oils exhibited hepatoprotective effects, as evidenced by normalized liver function parameters (alanine transaminase, Aspartate transaminase, and Alkaline phosphatase), as well as improvements in nonenzymatic parameters (total protein, albumin, cholesterol, triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein, and high-density lipoprotein). The observed hepatoprotection of cinnamon oil and rosemary oils was attributed to their ability to reduce oxidative stress caused by acrylamide, as demonstrated by lower levels of liver cell lipid peroxidation product (malondialdehyde) and enhanced activity of antioxidative enzymes (glutathione and catalase) in liver tissue. Keywords: Cinnamon, Rosemary, Acrylamide, Liver, Rats, Antioxidants.