ABSTRACT
Oxidative stress is a common cause of organ damage, including liver injury. The purpose of this study was to observe the hepato-protective effects of sea cucumber (Holothurian edulis spp.) on rats suffering from alloxan-induced liver injury. This was an experimental study using Wistar strain rats. The rats were randomly divided into six groups, each containing six rats (a control group, an alloxan-only group, a glibenclamide group, and ethanol extract of sea cucumber groups divided into three doses). After the rats were given alloxan, researchers intervened with ethanol extract of sea cucumber and glibenclamide for 12 days. At the end of the study, the rats were sacrificed and their liver histopathologies were determined. The results revealed sinusoid dilatation and congestion, central veins that were not intact, dilated portal veins and bile ducts in the portal area, and a histiocytic appearance of the cellular architecture in the alloxan group. However, in the ethanol extract of sea cucumber groups, the sinusoid began narrowing and the central venous was intact, especially in the 200 mg/200 gBW/day dose group. This study showed that ethanol extract of sea cucumber has potential as a hepato-protective agent that might be due to reduction of oxidative damage by decreased free radical generation.
