Beta vulgaris L. beetroot protects against iron-induced liver injury by restoring antioxidant pathways and regulating cellular functions

Abstract Beta vulgaris L. is a root vegetable that is consumed mainly as a food additive. This study aimed to describe the protective effect of B. vulgaris on Fe2+-mediated oxidative liver damage through in vitro, ex vivo, and in silico studies to establish a strong rationale for its protective effect. To induce oxidative damage, we incubated the livers of healthy male rats with 0.1 mM FeSO4 to induce oxidative injury and coincubated them with an aqueous extract of B. vulgaris root (BVFE) (15–240 µg/mL). Induction of liver damage significantly (p