Objective: The purpose of the present study was to determine the histopathological and biochemical changes in rat liver injury induced with cyclophosphamide (CYP), a chemoprophylactic agent, and to investigate the protective effects of RSV.

Materials and Methods: A total of 28 Wistar albino male rats were used. The rats were divided into study groups as Group 1 (control), Group 2 (cyclophosphamide), Group 3 (resveratrol), Group 4 (CYP+RSV). Cyclophosphamide 150 mg/kg/ip/single dose, resveratrol 10 mg/kg/ip/7 days were administered. At the end of the seven-day experiment period, the rats were sacrificed and their liver tissues were examined by histological and biochemical methods. Hematoxylin-Eosin and Periodic Acid Schiff staining were performed on the sections. Sections were evaluated according to histopathological findings. It was scored as 0 (none), 1 (mild), 2 (moderate), 3 (severe) according to the degree of damage. Sections were examined with the Leica Q Win Image Analysis System and a Leica 280 light microscope. In addition, liver tissue Malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and Catalase (CAT) activities were measured by spectrophotometric methods.

Results: The liver tissues of the Control (Group 1) were monitored in normal histological appearance. There were mononuclear cell infiltration, congestion and common focal necrosis areas around the central vein, diffuse swelling in hepatocytes, and narrowing in the sinusoidal range, more pronounced in the portal area in the liver tissues of the CYP (Group 2). Perivascular fibrosis was detected with glycogen loss in hepatocytes the with PAS staining method. Group 3 findings were similar to the control group. It was observed that in Group 4 RSV improved cell infiltration, congestion, necrosis, and sinusoidal contraction at significant levels (p<0.001). RSV treatment decreased high malondialdehyde levels in liver tissue samples at significant levels, and increased the decreased catalase enzyme activity in liver tissue samples.

Conclusion: It was observed that RSV had histopathological and biochemical protective effects in CYP -induced rat liver damage.