Royal Jelly Modulates Hepatotoxic Effect of Rats Treated with Cisplatin

Cisplatin (CP) is one of the most active cytotoxic agents in the treatment of cancer and has adverse side effects such as hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity. The aim of this study was focused on investigating the possible protective effect of royal jelly (RJ) against oxidative stress caused by CP injury of the liver and inflammatory changes in male albino rats. Twenty four albino rats were divided into four equal groups as follows: control group, cisplatin group : (rats injected i.p. with single dose from cisplatin (CP, 7 mg / kg body weight,), royal jelly RJ group : rats treated for 15 consecutive days by gavage with RJ (300 mg/kg/day/orally), royal jelly-cisplatin group, rats treated with royal jelly orally for 15 consecutive days by gavage (300 mg/kg/day) followed by a single injection i.p. from CP (7 mg / kg body weight). The obtained results revealed that the administration of royal jelly with cisplatin in rats significantly ameliorated the changes occurred in the biochemical parameters {GSH, GPx and CAT were significantly decreased in liver of cisplatin-treated rats and increasing ALT and AST}. The histopathological results showed distinctive pattern of hepatotoxic changes in cisplatin group, while in the royal jelly-cisplatin group the liver tissues showed reductions lesions. In conclusion, royal jelly acts in the liver as a potent scavenger of free radicals to prevent or ameliorates the toxic effects of CP as shown by biochemical and histopathological investigations and might provide substantial protection against cisplatin-induced hepatotoxicity and inflammatory damages.