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Frontiers in Pharmacology
Frontiers
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Abstract: |
Boldenone Undecylenate (BLD) is a synthetic derivative of testosterone and a widely used
anabolic androgenic steroid. The health risk of BLD use as a pharmaceutical or dietary
supplement is still underestimated and under-reported. Vitamin C (VC) has been
recognized as an antioxidant with prominent hepatorenal protective effects. This study
investigated the possible preventive activity of VC against BLD-induced hepatorenal
damage. Forty adult male Wistar rats were classified into five groups: control, vehicle
control, VC (orally given 120 mg/kg b. wt./day), BLD (intramuscularly injected 5 mg/kg b.
wt./week), and BLD + VC-treated groups. The experiment continued for eight weeks.
Serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were
measured. Serum contents of total protein (TP), albumin (ALB), globulin, total cholesterol
(TC), triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density
lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), and very-low-density lipoprotein–cholesterol (VLDL-C)
were also assayed. Urea, creatinine, and uric acid levels were determined together
with sodium and potassium electrolytes measuring. Moreover, oxidative stress
indicators including reduced glutathione (GSH), glutathione peroxidase (GPx),
glutathione-S-transferase (GST), and glutathione reductase (GSR) as well as
malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were measured in both hepatic and renal tissues.
Corresponding histological examination of renal and hepatic tissues was conducted.
Besides, immunohistochemical evaluations for androgen receptors protein (AR) and heat
shock protein 90 (Hsp 90) expressions were performed. BLD caused significant rises in
serum ALT, AST, TP, ALB, TC, TG, LDL-C, VLDL-C, urea, creatinine, uric acid, potassium,
and MDA levels. Further, BLD-injected rats showed significant declines in the serum levels
of HDL-C, sodium, GSH, GPx, GST, and GSR. Besides, distinct histopathological
perturbations were detected in renal and hepatic tissues of BLD-injected rats. AR and Hsp
90 immunoexpression were increased in hepatic and renal tissues. In contrast, VC
significantly reversed the BLD-induced hepatorenal damage in co-treated rats but not
ameliorated AR protein overexpression. VC could be an efficient preventive supplement for
mitigating BLD-induced hepatorenal damage, possibly via controlling oxidative stress
events.
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