Phytochemicals in pomegranate peel extract attenuate oxidative damage in rats exposed to fipronil

Abstract

Fipronil (FPN), a pesticide frequently used in veterinary medicine and agriculture, has been linked to adverse health consequences in non-target creatures. This study was conducted to determine the phytochemical and vitamin content of pomegranate peel ethanolic extract (PPE) and to assess its hepatoprotective impact in rats exposed to FPN insecticide. The phytochemicals were tested using LC-MS/MS, whilst the vitamins were evaluated using HPLC. Six groups of male albino rats were treated for three months, including the control group and those treated with PPE (400 mg/kg b.w.), FPN at low dosage (16.16 mg/kg b.w.), or high dose (48.5 mg/kg b.w.) alone or in combination with PPE. Blood and tissue samples were taken for various hematological, biochemical, and histopathological analyses. HPLC results revealed that PPE contains water and oil-soluble vitamins; also, LC-MS/MS identified 21 chemicals belonging to tannins, steroids, tannins, flavonoids, phenolics, alkaloids, terpenoids, and saponins. The biological study revealed that FPN caused dose-dependent changes in RBCs, WBCs, MCHC, PLT count, MCH, MCV, Hb, HCT, ALT, AST, ALP, Alb, TP, urea, uric acid, creatinine, Cho, Tri G, HDL, LDL, CAT, SOD, MDA, GST, testosterone levels, and histological changes in liver and kidney. PPE administration did not show any significant changes in all the tested parameters. Co-administration with FPN and PPE induced a significant improvement in all the tested parameters towards the control levels, owing to its strong antioxidant activity. Consequently, PPE should be considered a dietary supplement in areas with high levels of FPN exposure.