Hepatoprotective Effect of Tofu Processed from Germinated Soybean on Carbon Tetrachloride Induced Chronic Liver Injury in Mice

Abstract

The hepatoprotective activities of silk tofu made from germinated and non germinated soybeans at different doses of feeding against CCl4induced hepatic cell toxicity in mice was investigated in this study. The hep-tatoprotective activity was analyzed by assessing the ratio of liver weight to body weight (L/B), the levels of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), total cholester-ols (TC), the hepatic malondehydyde (MDA), protein carbonyl (PC) and vitamin C levels as well as the his-topathological analysis of liver tissue. All types of silk tofu significantly reduced the L/B value; ALT activity, total cholesterol, hepatic MDA and PC levels, beside, liver vitamin C content increased compared to CCl4in-toxicated mice. Silk tofu made from germinated soy-beans expressed higher hepatoprotective activity as compared to silk tofu made from non germinated soy-beans. Mice fed with silk tofu made from germinated soybeans at the dose of 0.4 g/g body weight/day dis-played all biochemical parameters as well as the liver tissue histopathological analysis that were similar to that of normal mice and silymarin treated mice. It was suggested that tofu specially made from germinated soybeans expressed great hepatoprotective effect