Abstract
We studied the effects of administering freshwater clam extract (CE) to pigs with experimentally alcohol-induced liver damage. Thirty-two female Landrace x Yorkshire pigs, at 2 months of age, were randomly divided into a control group to receive normal drinking water and three experimental groups which received 10% alcohol, 5% CE, or 10% alcohol plus 5% CE in their drinking water. The experimental period of the present study was 8 weeks, and blood samples were collected at an interval of 2 weeks for biochemical assay. Alcohol administration significantly elevated the plasma GOT and GTP concentrations from 4 weeks of treatment, plasma triglyceride levels from 2 weeks, and plasma total cholesterol levels from 6 weeks, as compared with those of the control group. Biochemical changes of liver damage due to alcohol treatment were reversed with CE supplementation. In conclusion, this study shows that supplementation with CE has plasma lipid-lowering and liver protective effects in pigs with alcoholic liver injury.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 26-33 |
| Number of pages | 8 |
| Journal | Nutritional Sciences Journal |
| Volume | 28 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| State | Published - 1 Mar 2003 |
Keywords
- Alcoholic liver injury
- Freshwater clam extract