Effects of eugenol on digestive glands, kidneys, and male reproductive organs: a biochemical, oxidative, and morphological study

• Ano de defesa: 2023
• Autor(a) principal: Carvalho, Renner Philipe Rodrigues
• Tipo de documento: Tese
• Tipo de acesso: Acesso aberto
• Idioma: eng
• Instituição de defesa: Universidade Federal de Viçosa; Biologia Celular e Estrutural
• Palavras-chave em Português: Óleo de cravo-da-índia; Syzygium aromaticum; Toxicologia; Antioxidantes; Histologia; Biologia Celular e Estrutural
• Link de acesso: https://locus.ufv.br//handle/123456789/31416; https://doi.org/10.47328/ufvbbt.2023.293

Eugenol is a phenolic compound found in clove oil and is extensively used in traditional medicine. Although there is extensive research on the toxicity of natural products, studies related to the toxic effects of eugenol are still relatively scarce. Thus, we aimed to evaluate the effects of eugenol on biochemical, oxidative, and morphological parameters in healthy Wistar rats' digestive glands, kidneys, and male reproductive organs. Forty adult rats were divided into four groups (n=10/group). Control rats received 2% Tween-20 (eugenol vehicle), whereas the other animals received 10, 20, and 40 mg Kg -1 eugenol through gavage daily for 60 days. The liver, pancreas, submandibular and sublingual glands, kidneys, testes, epididymides, and sperm were analyzed under microscopic, biochemical, and functional approaches. Our results showed that eugenol treatment, regardless of dose, did not alter body and organ weights. However, eugenol at 20 and 40 mg Kg -1 altered serum levels of albumin, urea, creatinine, uric acid, testosterone, and alkaline phosphatase and aspartate transaminase activities. Lipase activity and sodium, potassium, and chloride serum levels were affected only in rats treated with 40 mg Kg - eugenol. In the liver, 20 and 40 mg Kg -1 eugenol caused structural and functional damage, reducing Na + /K + ATPase activity, increasing glycogen content, and oxidative and nitrosative metabolites. In the pancreas, submandibular and sublingual glands, 40 mg Kg -1 eugenol altered most of the biochemical and oxidative parameters, whereas only submandibular glands presented histological changes. In the kidney, 40 mg Kg -1 , eugenol reduced Na + /K + ATPase activity and apical bush-border of renal tubules and modulated oxidative parameters. Still, at 10 mg Kg -1 , eugenol decreased the total antioxidant capacity and increased the volumetric proportion of blood vessels and nitric oxide content in the kidneys. All doses of eugenol negatively impacted epididymal sperm parameters and modified the oxidative pattern in male organs with no influence on their histology. In summary, eugenol treatment, particularly at higher doses, can modulate biochemical and oxidative parameters leading to structural and functional alterations to digestive glands, kidneys, and male reproductive organs. These findings highlight the importance of research focused on an accurate understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in eugenol effects on these organs. Keywords: Clove oil. Syzygium aromaticum. Toxicology. Antioxidant. Histology.