Z Gastroenterol 2009; 47 - A33
DOI: 10.1055/s-0029-1224012

Overdosed antioxidant therapy is contraindicated in fatty liver

V Hegedüs 1, Z Mihály 2, A Szijártó 3, A Blázovics 1
  • 12nd Department of Internal Medcine, Semmelweis University, Budapest
  • 2Saint John's Hospital, Budapest
  • 31st Department of Surgery, Semmelweis University, Budapest

Introduction: Alimentary induced fatty liver is associated with systemic low-grade inflammation, which changes various signal transduction pathways. Our earlier study demonstrated that antioxidant therapy could reduce tissue alterations and protect redox-homeostasis. Increasing numbers of scientific papers report serious side-effects of overdosed nutritional antioxidants, such as renal-failure and hepato-myo-encephalopathy. Because of these negative observations we decided to study a nutritional supplementation with a fruit and vegetable concentrate (OÉTI 45/É) in the model of fatty liver in “short term“ experiment.

Methods: Male Wistar rats (150–200 gbw) were used. The animals were divided into four groups, each consisting of 6 animals. The animals in group I. and II. were fed with normal diet. The animals in group II. were treated with nutritional supplement (1g/bwkg in their water). The animals of the third group were fed with fat rich diet containing cholesterol (2.0%), sunflower oil (20%) and cholic acid (0.5%) added to the control chow. The animals in the fourth group were fed with lipogenic diet and treated with nutritional supplementation as well. The rats were kept on diet for 10 days. Redox parameters and routine laboratory parameters were determined and histological examinations were carried out.

Results and discussion: Compared the control or fatty liver groups with the fat rich diet fed group treated with overdosed antioxidant, higher induced free radical and dien-conjugate levels were determined, which justified increased low-grade inflammation. At the same time there was a new redox-homeostasis in the blood as well. Induced free radical level was lower than the other groups' in the plasma as well as in the erythrocytes. Our study showed the hazard of overdosed antioxidant therapy, because it increased the ASAT and BUN levels that meant the lesion of liver and kidneys.

Conclusion: Considering to nutritional supplements with high bioactive agents, a pharmacodynamics study is necessary to avoid harmful antioxidant effects in the management of metabolic diseases, like obesity.