Effect of lycopene on caspase-3 enzyme activation in liver of methanol-intoxicated rats: comparison with fomepizole.

Abstract Lycopene is one of the major carotenoids and is found almost exclusively in tomatoes and tomato products. This study was performed to evaluate the effect of lycopene on methanol-induced liver injury and to compare the results with those after fomepizole, which is used in treatment of methanol intoxication. Experiments were carried out with 30 female Wistar rats weighting 180–200 g. Rats were injected with a intraperitoneally dose of 3 g/kg methanol as a 50% solution in isotonic saline once for intoxication. Rats were pretreated with fomepizole (50 mg/kg) and/or lycopene (10 mg/kg) before methanol. After 24 hours all the drug-treated and intoxicated rats were sacrificed under anesthesia. Malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were determined in order to assess lipid peroxidation, and caspase-3 activity was determined by immunostaining of liver tissues to evaluate apoptosis. Methanol administration significantly increased the MDA level and caspase-3 activity in liver. Pretreatment with lycopene and/or fomepi...