Abstract
Finding renal and hepatoprotective agents preferably with antioxidant activities against environmental pollutants especially lead which can adversely affect liver and kidney is a great demand. In the current study, flaxseed protein isolate (FPI) was extracted from defatted flaxseed meal. Amino acids profile, antioxidant capacity and solubility of the extracted FPI were determined. The solubility of FPI in the acidic media was exploited in preparation of lemon juice with FPI. Twenty four male rats were assigned to four groups; normal control, lead intoxicated (oral daily dose of 60 mg/kg b.w. in distilled water for four weeks), lead intoxicated and orally administrated with daily dose equal 1 ml of lemon juice as well as lead intoxicated and orally administered with FPI (daily dose equal 100 mg/kg) in 1 ml of lemon juice. The oral administration of FPI incorporated in lemon juice suppressed the elevation in kidney functions, lipid peroxidation of kidney tissues, urinary protein and creatinine as well as liver functions caused by lead intoxication. Additionally, lemon juice with FPI combated the reduction of GSH of kidney tissues. It was revealed also that lemon juice without FPI suppressed the elevation in kidney and liver functions caused by lead. It can be concluded that flaxseed protein isolate is a good source of protein with potent antioxidant activity. Additionally, lemon juice and FPI are considered protective sources of kidney and liver against lead toxicity.
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Key Points
Flaxseed protein is high in arginine, aspartic acid and glutamic acid and high contents of cysteine and methionine that can improve the antioxidant system in the human body and potentially elevate the stability of DNA during cell division. The current study was designed to evaluate the protective effect of flaxseed protein isolate incorporated in the lemon juice against the hepato and nephro-toxicity induced by lead acetate in the rats.
The results of the present study revealed that flaxseed protein isolate was rich in arginine amino acid. High purity flaxseed protein isolate was prepared via removal of mucilage before extraction of protein from defatted flaxseed meal at 60 °C. The potent of flaxseed protein isolate as protective source against kidney and liver toxicity may be attributed to the plenty of some amino acids especially arginine and glycine in it. In addition to the nutritive value of flaxseed protein isolate as a source of protein, it exhibited potent antioxidant activity especially when being soluble in acidic media (pH = 2–3) which was exploited in the preparation of lemon juice with FPI. This lemon juice with FPI exhibited hepatorenal protective effect against lead in rats in addition to its ameliorative effect against the oxidative stress induced by lead in rats. Also lemon juice exhibited protective effect against the negative effects of lead on liver and kidney. So, lemon juice and FPI are considered protective sources against kidney and liver toxicity.