Antioxidant responses of L-arginine on aspartame-induced oxidative stress in rats' liver

Abstract

Background: L-arginine a major precursor of a conditional antioxidant nitric oxide could be co-consumed with a widely used oxidant-prone artificial sweetener, aspartame with unknown outcomes on the antioxidant status in animals liver.

Objectives: This study aimed to examine the possible liver antioxidant and histomorphologic responses of L-arginine on oxidative stress induced by aspartame assault.

Methods: Thus, aspartame, at a dose of 1000 mg Kg–¹ of body weight was administered to male Wistar rats by oral intubation daily for 21 days.

Results: Aspartame treatment significantly (P < 0.05) increased ferric reducing antioxidant power, FRAP (0.78±0.98μg m^-1), total protein, TP (2.42±0.19g mL^-1), thiobarbituric acid reacting substances, TBARS (0.65 ± 0.07 mg mL^-1), catalase, CAT (6.61 ± 1.81 IU/L) and hepatic histo-congestion, but decreased superoxide dismutase, SOD (0.09±0.01 IU/L). Aside ferric reducing antioxidant power and catalase that were not reduced, L-arginine 20 mg Kg–^-1 administered alone, and aspartame respectively administered  with vitamin C 100 mg Kg–^-1, L-arginine 20 mg Kg–^-1 and 40 mg Kg–^-1 , significantly (P < 0.05) decreased total protein, thiobarbituric acid reacting substances and hepatic histo-congestion, but increased superoxide dismutase. Results revealed that these effects induced by aspartame at a dose of 1000 mg Kg–¹ were significantly (P < 0.05) mitigated by L-arginine in a comparable pattern as standard antioxidant, vitamin C.

Conclusion: Thus, L-arginine mitigated aspartame-induced oxidative stress and histo-congestion in rats' liver via probable up-regulated mechanisms in rats' antioxidant responses.