Zhihui Jiang1,2, Jian Wang1,2, Huiting Xue3, Meng Wang1, Hai Jiang2, Yinku Liang2, Alberto C Dias2,4, Marslin Gregory2, Chen Chen2, Xiaoying Zhang1,2. 1. a College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University , Yangling , Shaanxi , China. 2. b Chinese-German Joint Laboratory for Natural Product Research, Qinling-Bashan Mountains Bioresources Comprehensive Development C.I.C., College of Biological Science and Engineering, Shaanxi Sci-Tech University , Hanzhong , Shaanxi , China. 3. c College of Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Agriculture University , Xinjiang , China. 4. d Centre for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environment and Biological Sciences (CITAB-UM), AgroBioPlant Group, Department of Biology , University of Minho , Braga , Portugal.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: In Chinese folk medicine, Corni fructus (C. fructus) has traditionally been used to improve liver function, although the mechanism underlying its activity remains unclear. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the protective effects of wild C. fructus methanolic extract against acute alcoholic liver injury. METHODS: Alcohol was administered to mice for three consecutive days, either alone or in combination with C. fructus methanolic extract (50, 100, or 200 mg/kg body weight/d). Serum and liver tissue were collected from the animals and subjected to biochemical and histopathological analyses. RESULTS: C. fructus significantly alleviated alcohol-induced liver injury by reducing serum alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and thiobarbituric acid reactive species, inhibiting hydroxyl radicals (•OH), and increasing total superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione in the liver (P < 0.05). In addition, the C. fructus treatment inhibited the expression and activity of cytochrome P450 2E1 (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: C. fructus could be a promising natural substance for ameliorating acute alcohol-induced oxidative stress and hepatic injury.
BACKGROUND: In Chinese folk medicine, Corni fructus (C. fructus) has traditionally been used to improve liver function, although the mechanism underlying its activity remains unclear. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the protective effects of wild C. fructusmethanolic extract against acute alcoholic liver injury. METHODS:Alcohol was administered to mice for three consecutive days, either alone or in combination with C. fructusmethanolic extract (50, 100, or 200 mg/kg body weight/d). Serum and liver tissue were collected from the animals and subjected to biochemical and histopathological analyses. RESULTS:C. fructus significantly alleviated alcohol-induced liver injury by reducing serum alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and thiobarbituric acid reactive species, inhibiting hydroxyl radicals (•OH), and increasing total superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione in the liver (P < 0.05). In addition, the C. fructus treatment inhibited the expression and activity of cytochrome P450 2E1 (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS:C. fructus could be a promising natural substance for ameliorating acute alcohol-induced oxidative stress and hepatic injury.
Entities:
Keywords:
CYP2E1; Corni fructus; acute alcoholic liver; hepatoprotective drug; hepatotoxicity; mice; oxidative stress; traditional Chinese medicine
Authors: Camilla P Stice; Chun Liu; Koichi Aizawa; Andrew S Greenberg; Lynne M Ausman; Xiang-Dong Wang Journal: Arch Biochem Biophys Date: 2015-01-12 Impact factor: 4.013