The Protective Effect of Curcumin Against Methandienone Induced Hepatotoxicity in Male Mice: An Experimental Study

Due to the approved antioxidant effects of curcumin, this study was conducted to investigate the hepatoprotective effects of curcumin against methandienone (dianabol) induced hepatotoxicity in male mice. In this descriptive study, 35 adult male mice (weight=35±2 g) were randomly assigned into five groups. The first group received 0.2 ml of normal saline and second group received dianabol at 20 mg/kg/day orally. The treatment groups treated with 20 mg/kg/day of dianabol plus 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg/day of curcumin, during 8 weeks by gavage. At the end of the experiment, the level of alkaline phosphatase, alanine aminotransferase and aspartate amiotrasferase enzymes were measured and the quantitative changes of liver tissue were examined using stereological procedures. The data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA and Tukey’s post-hoc test. The volume of the liver, hepatocytes, sinusoids as well as alanine aminotrasferase and alkaline phosphatase levels increased significantly in dianabol treated group as compared with the control group (p<0.05). Curcumin at 100 and 200 mg/kg doses significantly decreased the volume of the liver, hepatocytes, and sinusoides as well as the alanine aminotrasferase and alkaline phosphatase levels when compared to the dianabol treated group (p<0.05). It seems that curcumin due to its anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties can inhibit hepatic structural and functional alterations following dianabol administration.