Endocrine Abstracts

Objectives: High-fructose corn syrup (HFSC) is used as an artificial sweetener. However, there is limited information about the metabolic effects. Fructose is implicated in the etiology of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD). Unfortunately, no therapy for NAFLD currently exists. The aim of this study was to investigate the hepatic lesion induced by chronic HFCS consumption and the protective effects of alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) on hepatic pathology.

Methods: In this study, 24 Wistar Albino, were randomly allocated into three groups. Groups were HFCS group and prepared 30% solution of F30 (24% fructose, 28% dextrose) was given in drinking water for 10 weeks. The ALA+HSCF group, same dose HSCF given this group and ALA (100 mg/kg per oral) administered the last 6 weeks of the experiment. No drug administered to the control group (CON). Each group consisted eight rats and at the end of 10 weeks, 24 h after the last ALA administration, they were killed.

Results: Statistically significant increase was observed in serum AST (p=0.023) level in HFCS group. Tissue MDA (p=0.001) levels were also increased while CAT (p=0.001) activities were decreased in this group. Immunohistochemically caspase-3 (p=0.000) expression were increased by HFCS significantly.

Conclusion: In ALA treated group all of these pathologic conditions were improved. HFCS induced hepatic toxicity by inducing oxidative stress and apoptotic activity and ALA was ameliorated these pathologic conditions. ALA may be alternative treatment to reduce the fructose-induced hepatotoxicity.

Keywords: alpha lipoic acid, corn syrup, hepatic damage, oxidative stress, pathology.