Hepatic Detoxification and Antioxidant Activity in Sea-urchin Roe and Ethanol Extract of Roe

Sea-urchins (Anthocidaris crassispina) are widely distributed in the East Sea of Korea. The aim of this study was to evaluate the hepatoprotective effects of sea-urchin roe on bromobenzene (BB)-induced liver damage in rats. The antioxidative and detoxifying properties of sea-urchin roe in BB-poisoned rat liver was examined by chemical analysis of serum aminotransferase (AST, ALT), glutathione S-transferase (GST), γ-glutamylcystein synthetase, glutathione reductase, epoxide hydrolase, amino-N-demethylase (AD), aniline hydrolase (AH) enzyme activity, as well as lipid peroxide and glutathione contents. Sea-urchin roe inhibited the increase of serum AST, ALT enzyme activity. Increasing lipid peroxide contents and AD and AH activities were significantly decreased in ethanol extract of sea-urchin roe. GST, γ-glutamylcystein synthetase, glutathione reductase and epoxide hydrolase enzyme activities increased in sea-urchin roe-fed group, compared with the BB-treated group. These results suggest that sea-urchin roe facilitates recovery from liver damage by enhancing antioxidative defense mechanisms and hepatic detoxication metabolism.