Protective effect of Chlorella vulgaris against experimental hepatic ischemia reperfusion injury downregulating oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis

Hepatic ischemia/reperfusion (Hep I/R) is a great health burden during hepatic transplantation surgery. The present work aimed to examine the mitigative effect of Chlorella vulgaris against Hep I/R and its underlying protective mechanisms. The animals in the present research were classified into four equal experimental groups (n=6): the sham group, sham+Chlorella vulgaris group, Hep I/R group, and Hep I/R+Chlorella vulgaris group. Hepatic ischemia results in liver impairment, as evidenced by elevated liver enzyme levels and altered liver histology. It also reduced antioxidant enzyme levels and increased lipid peroxidation. Additionally, the Hep I/R group displayed significant suppression of the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)/haem oxygenase-1 pathway. There was a marked elevation in the expression of inflammatory markers, including nuclear factor kappa beta (NF-κB), tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-1 beta, interleukin-6, and myloperoxidase, and NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) and caspase-1. Furthermore, the levels of apoptotic markers such as caspase-3 and Bax were greater than those in the sham groups. Pretreatment with Chlorella vulgaris significantly protected against Hep I/R by reversing these effects. Rats pretreated with Chlorella vulgaris exhibited a hepatoprotective effect against Hep I/R through its inhibition of the NF-κB and NLRP3 cascades and Nrf2 stimulation.