The Effect of Short‐term Periodic Fasting on Acetaminophen-induced Liver Injury in Mice

Introduction: In many cultures, fasting is recommended for health protection and promotion. However, few studies have been focused on the effects of fasting on organ function and resistance to toxic agents (e.g., drugs). The present study aimed to investigate the effects of short-term periodic fasting on the hepatotoxic effects induced by acetaminophen in mice. Methods: This experimental study was conducted on female BALB/c mice to assess the effects of short-term periodic fasting (three consecutive days every two weeks for 10weeks) on the serum levels of aspartate transaminase (AST) and alanine amino transferase (ALT)and hepatotoxic effects induced by acetaminophen. After 10weeksof periodic fasting, the mice were administered with 500 mg/kg of acetaminophen via intra peritoneal injection. After 24 hours, the AST and ALT levels were measured, and the mice were sacrificed to evaluate their liver injury severity using the pathological method as the gold standard. Results: The AST and ALT enzymes increased in the control group (P=0.0098 and P=0.0004, respectively; Mann-Whitney U test), which was associated with high-grade liver injury (P=0.001; Fisher’s exact test). In contrast, the fasting mice had slight changes in the levels of AST and ALT enzymes associated with low-grade liver injury. Conclusion: Acetaminophen is a common cause of drug-induced liver injury. According to the results of the study, fasting could protect important organs (e.g., liver) against the toxic effects of drugs. Further investigations in this regard could provide insight into human states.