Antihyperlipidemic and antiapoptotic potential of zingerone on alcohol induced hepatotoxicity in experimental rats
Authors: Sivaranjani Arivalagan
Aktarul Islam Siddique
Vijay Mani
Nalini Namasivayam
Journal: Chemico-Biological Interactions (2017)
Discipline: PHARMACOLOGY & TOXICOLOGY
Keywords: Alcohol; Apoptosis; Collagen; DNA damage; Hyperlipidemia
Affiliations: Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, Annamalai University, Annamalainagar 608 002, Tamilnadu, India., Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, Annamalai University, Annamalainagar 608 002, Tamilnadu, India. Electronic address: .

Abstract:  The ultimate aim of this present study was to investigate the antihyperlipidemic and antiapoptotic potential of zingerone (ZO) on alcohol induced hepatotoxicity in experimental rats. Male albino wistar rats were divided in four groups. Groups 1 and 2 rats received isocaloric glucose and dimethyl sulphoxide (2% DMSO), liver toxicity was induced in groups 3 and 4 by supplementing 30% ethanol post orally for 60 days. In addition to, groups 2 and 4 received zingerone (20 mg/kg body weight in 2% DMSO) daily during the final 30 days of the experimental period. Ethanol alone administered rats showed increased levels/activities of plasma total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), free fatty acids (FFA), phospholipids (PL), low density lipoproteins (LDL), very low density lipoproteins (VLDL), tissue TC, TG, FFA, PL, HMG-CoA reductase, phase I xenobiotic enzymes, collagen and fat accumulation, DNA damage and increased Bax, caspase-3 and caspase-9 expressions and decrease in the levels/activities of plasma high density lipoproteins (HDL), lipoprotein lipase (LPL), lecithin cholesterol acyl transferase (LCAT), phase II xenobiotic enzymes and a decreased Bcl-2 expression. Zingerone supplementation was able to counter and reverse the ethanol induced changes in all the above parameters in experimental rats. Together results portray zingerone exhibits antihyperlipidemic and antiapoptotic potential on alcohol induced hepatotoxicity. 

Retracted: No

PubPeer comments:
 This paper is one of several from this research group at the Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology at Annamalai University that report measurements with an unexpectedly narrow range of standard deviations (SDs). Together, these cast serious doubts over the existence of real, replicate measurements in studies by this group. Tables 1 through 6 in this paper together show 100 measurements with SDs. Here, for example, is a screenshot of Table 1. ![file] The majority of the 100 SDs are between 7 and 10% of the mean value they belong to. Here is a histogram of the SD percentages, showing an unexpected narrow range of values, with no SD over 11%. ![file] This is a very unusual distribution of SDs in biological measurements. Could the authors please provide the raw data? Update: For comparison, here is a collage of 12 papers from other research groups to show the expected range of SDs. All of these use groups of 6 to 8 rats, and do similar measurements. I graphed their SDs in the same way as the graph above, but with the X axis up to 100%. Each of these graphs show a much wider and more even spread of SDs than the graph above. ![file] ,