Effects of tomato pulp on hepatic steatosis in the rats fed with high fat diet.

Background: Hepatic steatosis is one of the most common causes of chronic liver injury.
Objectives: This study was aimed to evaluate the protective effects of Solanumlycopersicum (tomato) pulp on high fat diet-induced hepatic steatosis in rats.
Methods: Male Wistar rats were treated in 4 experimental groups including: healthy control group given standard diet, high fat diet group for induction of hepatic steatosis, high fat diet plus Clofibrate as positive control, and high fat diet plus tomato pulp for protection of liver steatosis. Finally, the groups were compared considering serum lipid profile, serum biomarkers of liver tissue injury and liver histopathological changes. The lipid peroxidation product and the activities of antioxidant enzymes were measured as the indicators of antioxidation in liver.
Results: Rats fed with the high fat diet showed hypertriglyceridemia, hypercholesterolemia, increased activities of hepatocellular enzymes, significant decline in antioxidants, and elevated lipid peroxidation indices in liver. Tomato pulp treatment significantly reduced elevated markers of liver injury and malondialdehyde level, as well as brought back the liver antioxidants and the excessive accumulation of lipids in serum towards normal.
Conclusion: The results showed that tomato pulp exerted protective effects against hepatic steatosis in rats fed with high fat diet, possibly through its antioxidant actions (Tab. 5, Fig. 2, Ref. 40).