Chicory vs Zinc: The Protective Role In Alcohol-Induced Acute Liver Injury

Abstract
Ethanol consumption in excess exert multiple adverse health effect mostly liver damage, as Ethanol is primarily eliminated by the liver (Berg, JLeof and L. 2002). Most of heavy ethanol drinking patients develop irreversible liver injury (Ismail and Riely 2006). Inflammatory mediators such as TNF-alpha, Interleukin 6 and Interleukin 8 as well as oxidative stress, lipid peroxidation, and acetaldehyde toxicity play an essential role in liver injury and induction of apoptosis and liver fibrosis (Longstreth, George, Zieve et al. 2009).Zinc is a potent cytoprotective agent as stabilizes and protects different molecules including proteins, DNA and microtubules against oxidation and degradation (Perry, Smyth, Stennicke et al. 1997).Chicory (Cichorium intybus), a member of the Asteraceae family, is a well-known herb possessing various biological activities. It was grown by ancient Egyptians as a medicinal plant, vegetable crop, and animal feed (Alloush, Belesky and Clapham 2003).chicory root extract have several biological role such as antimicrobial (Mares, Romagnoli, Tosi et al. 2005), antihyperglycemic (Azay-Milhau, Ferrare, Leroy et al. 2013), immunostimulant (Kim, Mun, Woo et al. 2002), antitoxic (Hassan and Yousef 2010), antiinflammatory (Cavin, Delannoy, Malnoe et al. 2005), and tumor-inhibitory activities (Lee, Kim, Park et al. 2000)