Effect of silymarin on the relative gene expressions of some inflammatory cytokines in the liver of CCl-intoxicated male rats.

The intensive exposure of the liver cells to any type of noxae, such as viruses, drugs, alcohols, and xenobiotics could induce hepatic inflammation through the upregulation of gene expression of several fibrotic and inflammatory mediators. So, our study assessed the role of silymarin on the inflammatory response induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl) as an example of xenobiotics on liver tissues in male rats. Forty-eight Wister male rats (weight: 130 ± 10) were housed for 14 days and then divided randomly into six groups: control, SLY: rats received only silymarin orally for 12 weeks (daily), CO: rats were injected with corn oil for 8 weeks (3 times weekly), CCl: rats were injected with CCl solubilized in corn oil for 8 weeks (day by day), Treated: rats received silymarin for 4 weeks after CCl injection, Protected: rats received silymarin for 4 weeks before and 8 weeks during CCl injection.