Herbal medicines for the prevention of alcoholic liver disease: a review

The Standardized Extract of Limonium tetragonum Alleviates Chronic Alcoholic Liver Injury in C57Bl/6J Mice

Background:

In traditional folk medicine, Limonium tetragonum is used in the treatment of uterine hemorrhage, tinnitus, and oligomenorrhea.

Objective:

This study aimed to identify the therapeutic effect of L. tetragonum EtOAc extract (EALT) on liver of mice with chronic alcohol poisoning.

Materials and Methods:

C57BL/6J mice were administered 100 mg/kg of EALT with a single binge ethanol/Lieber-DeCarli liquid diet for 8 weeks.

Results:

The chronic-binge ethanol diet induced a significant increase in liver marker enzyme activities. Coadministration of EALT reversed the elevation of serum total cholesterol and triglyceride as well as aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase due to chronic alcohol consumption. Histologic findings including markedly attenuated fat accumulation in hepatocytes were observed in EALT-treated mice. EALT supplementation prevented alcoholic liver injury through attenuation of inflammatory mediators such as toll-like receptor-4, cytochrome P4502E1, and cyclooxygenase-2, and inflammatory cytokine interleukin-6.

Conclusion:

Results provided direct experimental evidence for the hepatoprotective effect of EALT in the NIAAA mouse model. Therapeutic attempts with the L. tetragonum extract might be useful in the management of alcoholic liver disease.

SUMMARY

Halophyte Limonium tetragonum has recently been of interest in Korea for its nutritional value and salty taste which made it an ideal vegetable

Phytochemical analysis of L. tetragonum EtOAc extract (EALT) resulted in nine compounds including catechins and myricetin glycosides as main components

Administration of EALT for 8 weeks showed hepatoprotective effect on Lieber-DeCarli diet-fed mouse model

A significant decrease in liver marker enzymes and inflammatory mediators was also detected.

Abbreviations used: EALT: L. tetragonum EtOAc extract; TC: Total cholesterol; TG: Triglyceride; ROS: Reactive oxygen species; CYP2E1: Cytochrome P4502E1; TLR-4: Toll-like receptor-4; COX-2: Cyclooxygenase-2.

Mechanisms for Zhige oral solution to prevent and treat alcoholic liver disease in rats

AIM

To explore the preventive and therapeutic effects of Zhige oral solution on alcoholic liver disease in rats and the underlying mechanisms.

METHODS

Ninety male SD rats were randomly divided into six groups: a normal group, a model group, a positive control group, and three intervention groups. The normal group was only given distilled water at 1.0 mL per 100 g/d by gavage, and the other groups were given 52% Luzhou Laobaigan 1.0 mL per 100 g/d by gavage. In addition, the intervention groups were also given different doses (low, medium, and high) of Zhige oral solution and the positive control group was given Jiejiuling oral solution. All groups were allowed free access to water, and fed a normal diet. All the rats were killed at the end of the 12^th week. Hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining was used to observe the structural changes of liver tissue. Serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), triglycerides (TG), and total cholesterol (TC) were measured with an automatic biochemical analyzer. Serum levels of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The contents of TC and TG in the liver were measured by colorimetric assay. The protein expression of cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP450 2E1) in the liver was detected by Western blot.

RESULTS

Compared with the normal group, the liver index and the levels of ALT, AST, TC, TG, ADH, ALDH, and CYP450 2E1 were significantly altered in all groups except the high-dose group (P < 0.01 or 0.05), with the model group and low-dose group exhibiting the most significant changes (P < 0.01). Varying degrees of fat vacuolation can be seen in the liver in all groups. Compared with the model group, all the tested indicators above showed varying degrees of reversal in the positive control group and the three intervention groups (P < 0.01 or 0.05), and the reverse effect was best in the high-dose group (P < 0.01). The therapeutic effect of the medium-dose group was similar to that of the positive control group (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The anti-alcoholic and liver-protective effects of Zhige oral solution may be related to reversing the activities of ADH, ALDH, and other enzymes, inhibiting free radicals and acetaldehyde production, reducing oxidative stress, and improving lipid metabolism disorder in rats.

Ginsenoside Rg1 inhibits inflammatory responses via modulation of the nuclear factor‑κB pathway and inhibition of inflammasome activation in alcoholic hepatitis

Ginsenoside Rg1 (G‑Rg1) is an active ingredient of Panax ginseng, which has previously been reported to attenuate alcohol‑induced hepatic damage; however, the underlying mechanisms remain largely unknown. The present study aimed to investigate the protective effects of G‑Rg1 on alcohol‑induced cell injury in vitro and on a rat model of alcoholic hepatitis in vivo. For the in vitro model, L‑O2 cells were incubated with ethanol in the presence or absence of G‑Rg1. For the in vivo model, rats were administered ethanol by intragastric injection and were treated with G‑Rg1, or dexamethasone as a control. The results indicated that serum biochemical parameters, including alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase and total bilirubin, as well as the expression of nuclear factor (NF)‑κB pathway‑associated inflammatory cytokines, including interleukin (IL)‑6, tumor necrosis factor‑α and IL‑1β, were elevated in response to alcohol; however, they were significantly decreased by G‑Rg1 treatment. Furthermore, NF‑κB pathway activation was reduced by treatment with G‑Rg1. G‑Rg1 also decreased oxidative stress by inhibiting cytochrome P450 2E1 expression and reactive oxygen species production, and promoting glutathione peroxidase expression. Furthermore, G‑Rg1 inhibited the expression levels of caspase‑3 and ‑8, which may be associated with decreased hepatocyte apoptosis. These data suggested that G‑Rg1 may protect hepatocytes against alcohol‑induced injury, through preventing excessive inflammation and hepatocellular apoptosis.

Expression of cytokines in rats with ethanol-induced liver injury treated with Zhige oral solution

AIM

To investigate the correlation between expression of cytokines and preventive effects of Zhige oral solution against alcoholic liver injury (ALI) in rats.

METHODS

Rats were divided into six groups: normal control group, model group, positive control group, high-, medium-, and low-dose Zhige oral solution groups. Except the normal control group, ALI was induced in rats of other groups by simple alcohol gavage. The high-, medium-, and low-dose Zhige oral solution groups were given high-, medium- and low-dose group Zhige oral solution, the positive control group was given Jiejiuling oral solution, and the normal control group was given distilled water. Twelve weeks later, abdominal aorta arterial blood was collected to measure serum levels of alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartate transaminase (AST), as well as the contents of serum tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-10. The rats were sacrificed to observe the pathological changes in liver tissue.

RESULTS

Compared with the normal control group, serum levels of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-10, ALT, and AST were significantly altered in all groups except the high-dose Zhige oral solution group (P < 0.01 or 0.05), and varying degrees of massive swelling of liver cells and red lipid droplets were observed in liver tissues in all groups. Compared with the model group, all the tested indicators showed varying degrees of reversal in the positive control group and three intervention groups (P < 0.01 or 0.05), and the reversal effect was best in the high-dose Zhige oral solution group (P < 0.01). The therapeutic effect in the middle dose group was similar to that in the positive control group (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Zhige oral solution can reduce or inhibit the occurrence of ALI by regulating the levels of cytokines in rats.

Patchouli oil isolated from the leaves of Pogostemon cablin ameliorates ethanol-induced acute liver injury in rats via inhibition of oxidative stress and lipid accumulation

Excessive alcohol consumption can cause serious hepatic injury which is associated with oxidative stress and fatty metabolic disturbance. Patchouli oil (PO) is a sort of food supplement with high medicinal value in hepatoprotection, but its ability against ethanol-induced liver failure has not been demonstrated. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the potential hepatoprotection of PO through an ethanol-induced hepatotoxicity rat model. Our results showed that PO pretreatment could dramatically decrease the levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in serum, paralleled by an improvement of histopathology alterations. Additionally, PO could markedly suppress the content of reactive oxygen species (ROS), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), free fatty acid (FFA), and triglyceride (TG), while enhancing the activities of glutathione (GSH), glutathione reductase (GR), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) as well as the ratio of glutathione to oxidized glutathione (GSH/GSSG) in liver. The protective effect of PO against oxidative stress was interrelated with restraining the mRNA and protein expression of hepatic microsomal enzyme cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1). What's more, PO pretreatment could also accelerate lipometabolism via up-regulating expressions of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPAR-α), and carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 (CPT-1) and down-regulating expressions of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB) p65, sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1 (SREBP-1c), fatty acid synthase (FAS), and stearoyl-CoA desaturase 1 (SCD-1). To conclude, PO showed potent effect against ethanol-induced hepatotoxicity by relieving oxidative stress and preventing lipid accumulation.

Excessive alcohol consumption can cause serious hepatic injury which is associated with oxidative stress and fatty metabolic disturbance.

Polydatin Protects Rat Liver against Ethanol-Induced Injury: Involvement of CYP2E1/ROS/Nrf2 and TLR4/NF-κB p65 Pathway

Excessive alcohol consumption leads to serious liver injury, associating with oxidative stress and inflammatory response. Previous study has demonstrated that polydatin (PD) exerted antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects and attenuated ethanol-induced liver damage, but the research remained insufficient. Hence, this experiment aimed to evaluate the hepatoprotective effect and potential mechanisms of PD on ethanol-induced hepatotoxicity. Our results showed that PD pretreatment dramatically decreased the levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in the serum, suppressed the malonaldehyde (MDA) and triglyceride (TG) content and the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and enhanced the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), catalase (CAT), andalcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH), paralleled by an improvement of histopathology alterations. The protective effect of PD against oxidative stress was probably associated with downregulation of cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1) and upregulation of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and its target gene haem oxygenase-1 (HO-1). Moreover, PD inhibited the release of proinflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6) via downregulating toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) p65. To conclude, PD pretreatment protects against ethanol-induced liver injury via suppressing oxidative stress and inflammation.

Hepatoprotective properties of Penthorum chinense Pursh against carbon tetrachloride-induced acute liver injury in mice

Background

Penthorum chinense Pursh (Penthoraceae, PCP), a well-known Miao ethnomedicine, has been traditionally used to treat several liver-related diseases, such as jaundice and viral hepatitis. The aims of the present study were to evaluate the probable properties of the aqueous extract of PCP on carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄)—induced acute liver injury in mice.

Methods

C57BL/6 mice were orally administered an aqueous extract of PCP (5.15 and 10.3 g/kg BW) or silymarin (100 mg/kg) once daily for 1 week prior to CCl₄ exposure. Silymarin serves as a positive drug to validate the effectivenes of PCP.

Results

A single dose of CCl₄ exposure caused severe acute liver injury in mice, as evidenced by the elevated serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine phosphatase (ALP), and the increased TUNEL-positive cells in liver, which were remarkably ameliorated by the pretreatment of PCP. PCP was also found to decrease the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), restore the glutathione (GSH) and enhance the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) in the liver. In addition, the pretreatment of PCP inhibited the degradation of hepatic cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1), up-regulated the expression of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and its target proteins in CCl₄-treated mice.

Conclusion

Results indicated that the pretreatment of PCP (10.3 g/kg BW) effectively protected against CCl₄-induced acute liver injury, which was comparable to efficacy of silymarin (100 mg/kg). This hepatoprotective effects might be attributed to amelioration of CCl₄-induced oxidative stress via activating Nrf2 signaling pathway.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s13020-017-0153-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Emerging roles of SIRT1 in fatty liver diseases

Fatty liver diseases, which are commonly associated with high-fat/calorie diet, heavy alcohol consumption and/or other metabolic disorder causes, lead to serious medical concerns worldwide in recent years. It has been demonstrated that metabolic homeostasis disruption is most likely to be responsible for this global epidemic. Sirtuins are a group of conserved nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD⁺) dependent histone and/or protein deacetylases belonging to the silent information regulator 2 (Sir2) family. Among seven mammalian sirtuins, sirtuin 1 (SIRT 1) is the most extensively studied one and is involved in both alcoholic and nonalcoholic fatty liver diseases. SIRT1 plays beneficial roles in regulating hepatic lipid metabolism, controlling hepatic oxidative stress and mediating hepatic inflammation through deacetylating some transcriptional regulators against the progression of fatty liver diseases. Here we summarize the latest advances of the biological roles of SIRT1 in regulating lipid metabolism, oxidative stress and inflammation in the liver, and discuss the potential of SIRT1 as a therapeutic target for treating alcoholic and nonalcoholic fatty liver diseases.

Dihydromyricetin modulates p62 and autophagy crosstalk with the Keap-1/Nrf2 pathway to alleviate ethanol-induced hepatic injury

Increasing evidence has demonstrated that dihydromyricetin (DMY) contains highly effective antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial and anti-diabetic properties. Nevertheless, the underlying hepatoprotective mechanisms of DMY have infrequently been reported thus far. In the present study, C57BL/6 mice were fed with the Lieber-DeCarli diet containing alcohol or isocaloric maltose dextrin as a control diet with or without DMY (75 and 150mg/kg/d bw) for 6 weeks. DMY significantly attenuated hepatic enzyme release, hepatic lipid peroxidation and triglyceride deposition induced by chronic alcohol exposure. In addition, DMY dramatically attenuated the alcohol-triggered elevation of the level of inflammatory cytokines and partially recovered hepatic pathological changes. Notably, DMY remarkably modified aberrant expression of CYP2E1, Keap-1 and HO-1 in the liver and simultaneously ameliorated disordered nuclear localization of NF-κB and Nrf2 to exert its hepatoprotective effects. Further mechanistic exploration suggested that DMY activated Nrf2, possibly mediated through the autophagy pathway. Analysis of the crosstalk among p62, Keap-1 and Nrf2 demonstrated that the p62 upregulation caused by DMY contributes to a positive feedback loop in Nrf2 activation. In summary, DMY likely modulates p62 and autophagy crosstalk with the Keap-1/Nrf2 pathway to alleviate liver steatosis and the inflammatory response in the pathological progression of ALD.

Sophocarpine Protects Mice from ConA-Induced Hepatitis via Inhibition of the IFN-Gamma/STAT1 Pathway

Sophocarpine is the major pharmacologically active compound of the traditional Chinese herbal medicine Radix Sophorae Subprostratae which has been used in treating hepatitis for years in China. It has been demonstrated that Sophocarpine exerts an activity in immune modulation and significantly decreases the production of inflammatory cytokines. However, the protective effects of Sophocarpine in T cell-dependent immune hepatitis remained unknown. The aim of this study was to determine the protective effects and pharmacological mechanisms of Sophocarpine on Concanavalin A (ConA)-induced hepatitis, an experimental model of T cell-mediated liver injury. BALB/C mice were pretreated with Sophocarpine or Bicyclol for five consecutive days. Thirty minutes after the final administration, the mice were injected with 15 mg⋅kg^-1 of ConA intravenously. The results indicated that pretreatment with Sophocarpine significantly ameliorated liver inflammation and injury as evidenced by both biochemical and histopathological observations. Moreover, in Sophocarpine-pretreated mice, liver messenger RNA expression levels of chemokines and adhesion molecules, such as macrophage inflammatory protein-1α, CXC chemokine ligand 10, and Intercellular adhesion molecule-1, were markedly reduced. Further studies revealed that Sophocarpine significantly downregulated the expression of T-bet via inhibition of signal transducers and activators of transcription1 (STAT1) activation and overexpression of suppressor of cytokine signaling1, inhibiting the activation of Th1 cells and the expression of Interferon-γ (IFN-γ). Altogether, these results suggest new opportunities to use Sophocarpine in the treatment of T cell-mediated liver disease. In summary, Sophocarpine could attenuate ConA-induced liver injury, and the protective effect of Sophocarpine was associated with its inhibition effect of pro-inflammatory cytokines, chemokines, and the IFN-γ/STAT1 signaling pathway.

Ginger extract protects rat's kidneys against oxidative damage after chronic ethanol administration

Chronic alcohol ingestion is associated with pronounced detrimental effects on the renal system. In the current study, the protective effect of ginger extract on ethanol-induced damage was evaluated through determining 8-OHdG, cystatin C, glomerular filtration rate, and pathological changes such as cell proliferation and fibrosis in rats' kidneys. Male wistar rats were randomly divided into three groups and were treated as follows: (1) control, (2) ethanol and (3) ginger extract treated ethanolic (GETE) groups. After a six weeks period of treatment, the results revealed proliferation of glomerular and tubular cells, fibrosis in glomerular and peritubular and a significant rise in the level of 8-OHdG, cystatin C, plasma urea and creatinine. Moreover, compared to the control group, the ethanol group showed a significant decrease in the urine creatinine and creatinine clearance. In addition, significant amelioration of changes in the structure of kidneys, along with restoration of the biochemical alterations were found in the ginger extract treated ethanolic group, compared to the ethanol group. These findings indicate that ethanol induces kidneys abnormality by oxidative DNA damage and oxidative stress, and that these effects can be alleviated using ginger as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent.

Endogenous n-3 Fatty Acids Alleviate Carbon-Tetrachloride-Induced Acute Liver Injury in Fat-1 Transgenic Mice

n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are beneficial for numerous models of liver diseases. The probable protective effects of n-3 PUFA against carbon-tetrachloride- (CCl₄-) induced acute liver injury were evaluated in a fat-1 transgenic mouse that synthesizes endogenous n-3 from n-6 PUFA. Fat-1 mice and their WT littermates were fed a modified AIN93 diet containing 10% corn oil and were injected intraperitoneally with a single dose of CCl₄ or vehicle. CCl₄ challenge caused severe liver injury in WT mice, as indicated by serum parameters and histopathological changes, which were remarkably ameliorated in fat-1 mice. Endogenous n-3 PUFA decreased the elevation of oxidative stress induced by CCl₄ challenge, which might be attributed to the activation of Nrf2/keap1 pathway. Additionally, endogenous n-3 PUFA reduces hepatocyte apoptosis via suppressing MAPK pathway. These findings indicate that n-3 PUFA has potent protective effects against acute liver injury induced by CCl₄ in mice, suggesting that n-3 PUFA can be used for the prevention and treatment of liver injury.

Epigallocatechin-3-gallate protects against hepatic ischaemia-reperfusion injury by reducing oxidative stress and apoptotic cell death

Objective

To investigate the protective effects of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), a major polyphenol source in green tea, against hepatic ischaemia–reperfusion injury in mice.

Methods

The partial hepatic ischaemia–reperfusion injury model was created by employing the hanging-weight method in C57BL/6 male mice. EGCG (50 mg/kg) was administered via an intraperitoneal injection 45 min before performing the reperfusion. A number of markers of inflammation, oxidative stress, apoptosis and liver injury were measured after the ischaemia–reperfusion injury had been induced.

Results

The treatment groups were: sham-operated (Sham, n = 10), hepatic ischaemia–reperfusion injury (IR, n = 10), and EGCG with ischaemia–reperfusion injury (EGCG-treated IR, n = 10). Hepatic ischaemia–reperfusion injury increased the levels of biochemical and histological markers of liver injury, increased the levels of malondialdehyde, reduced the glutathione/oxidized glutathione ratio, increased the levels of oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation markers, decreased B-cell lymphoma 2 levels, and increased the levels of Bax, cytochrome c, cleaved caspase-3, and cleaved caspase-9. Pretreatment with EGCG ameliorated all of these changes.

Conclusion

The antioxidant and antiapoptotic effects of EGCG protected against hepatic ischaemia–reperfusion injury in mice.

Persimmon vinegar and its fractions protect against alcohol-induced hepatic injury in rats through the suppression of CYP2E1 expression

CONTEXT

Medical therapies for alcohol-induced liver disease are often difficult to handle and limited in efficacy.

OBJECTIVE

In an attempt to find natural therapeutics, here, we investigate the preventive effect of persimmon vinegar (PV) and its fractions against alcohol-induced hepatic injury, in addition to the underlying mechanism, in rats chronically administered with alcohol.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Forty male Wistar rats were randomized into five groups (n = 8 per group); normal control (NC), ethanol control (EC), ethanol + PV, ethanol + water-insoluble PV fraction (PI) and ethanol + water-soluble PV fraction (PS). PV, PI or PS was orally administrated at the level of 100 mg/kg B.W by oral gavage every day for 4 weeks prior to ethanol administration. The liver sections were stained with hematoxylin & eosin and gene expression was assessed by real-time polymerase chain reaction.

RESULTS

After a 4-week treatment, histological observation revealed that PV and its fractions mitigated alcohol-induced changes in the liver. CYP2E1 expression was significantly increased in the EC group compared with the NC group, but was significantly suppressed in the PV group compared with the EC group (p = 0.044). We also found significant decreases in hepatic mRNA expression of interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-12β, toll-like receptor (TLR)-4 and cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 in the PV-, PI- and PS-treated groups compared with those of the EC group.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

Taken together, the present findings suggest that PV and its fractions hold great promise as natural remedies with anti-inflammatory activities that alleviate alcohol-induced liver damage.

Protective effect of wild Corni fructus methanolic extract against acute alcoholic liver injury in mice

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.

The protective effect of procyanidin against LPS-induced acute gut injury by the regulations of oxidative state

Background

A 2 × 4 factorial arrangement of treatments was used to investigate the protective effect of procyanidin (PCA) against lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute gut injury by the regulations of oxidative state for a 21-days feeding trial.

Methods

A total of 384 1-days-old broiler chicks were assigned to 8 treatments with 8 replicate of 6 broiler chickens per pen. Broiler chickens fed diets based on 4 levels of dietary PCA (0, 0.05, 0.075 and 0.1 % of the requirements). Half of the birds from each treatment group were challenged with 0.9 % NaCl solution or LPS (250 μg/kg body weight, injection administered) at 16, 18 and 21 days of age.

Results

The results indicated that, prior to LPS challenge, there was no dietary effect on bird growth performance (P > 0.05). The injection of LPS were also not associated with any significant changes in poultry performance (P > 0.05). But LPS injection increased serum diamine oxidase (DAO) level and the malondialdehyde (MDA) content of intestinal mucosa (P < 0.05), cause adverse effects to the morphology of the small intestine (P < 0.05), decreased the glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity of intestinal mucosa (P < 0.05). When LPS-challenged birds were pretreated with PCA, serum DAO concentration and MDA activity in jejunal and ileal mucosa were dramatically attenuated, and improved the morphology of the small intestine as well (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

In conclusion, PCA is able to prevent LPS-induced oxidative stress response in vivo, improved the morphology of the small intestine. The beneficial effect of PCA may depend on increasing the activity of body’s antioxidant enzymes and scavenging free radical activity.

Rg1 Attenuates alcoholic hepatic damage through regulating AMP-activated protein kinase and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 signal pathways

Rg1 has shown multiple pharmacological activities and been considered to be evaluated for hepatic protective activity, as Rg1 could modulate different pathways in various diseases. Herein we assessed its effect and potential mechanism in a newly modified ethanol model. C57BL/6 mice were fed with Lieber-DeCarli liquid diet containing ethanol or isocaloric maltose dextrin as control diet with or without Rg1. Meanwhile, bicyclol was treated as positive drug to compare the efficacy of Rg1 against alcoholic hepatotoxicity. According to our data, Rg1 indeed improved the survival rate and lowered the abnormal high levels of serum parameters. H&E and Oil Red O staining indicated that the condition of liver damage was mitigated by Rg1 administration. Furthermore, AMPK and Nrf2 pathways were all modulated at both RNA and protein levels. In accordance with these findings, Rg1 effectively protected against alcoholic liver injury, possibly by modulating metabolism, suppressing oxidative stress, and enhancing oxidant defense systems of Nrf2 pathway. In vitro, Rg1 has no cell toxicity and promotes Nrf2 translocate into nuclear. In summary, we demonstrate that Rg1 is a potent activator of Nrf2 pathway, and could therefore be applied for prevention of hepatic damage.

Protective Effects of Dracocephalum heterophyllum in ConA-Induced Acute Hepatitis

Dracocephalum heterophyllum (DH) is a Chinese herbal medicine used in treating hepatitis. However, the protective effects and pharmacological mechanisms of DH in hepatitis are unknown. In this study, we found that pretreatment with DH extract significantly ameliorated liver injury and suppressed the production of inflammatory cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α) and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) in Concanavalin A- (ConA-) induced hepatitis (CIH). DH recruited more CD11b⁺ Gr1⁺ myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) to the liver and suppressed infiltration of macrophages (Kupffer cells) in the liver. The present work explores DH as an effective hepatoprotective medicine to inhibit inflammation and liver injury caused by hepatitis.

Rhubarb extract prevents hepatic inflammation induced by acute alcohol intake, an effect related to the modulation of the gut microbiota

SCOPE

Binge consumption of alcohol is an alarming global health problem. Acute ethanol intoxication is characterized by hepatic inflammation and oxidative stress, which could be promoted by gut barrier function alterations. In this study, we have tested the hypothesis of the hepatoprotective effect of rhubarb extract in a mouse model of binge drinking and we explored the contribution of the gut microbiota in the related metabolic effects.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Mice were fed a control diet supplemented with or without 0.3% rhubarb extract for 17 days and were necropsied 6 h after an alcohol challenge. Supplementation with rhubarb extract changed the microbial ecosystem (assessed by 16S rDNA pyrosequencing) in favor of Akkermansia muciniphila and Parabacteroides goldsteinii. Furthermore, it improved alcohol-induced hepatic injury, downregulated key markers of both inflammatory and oxidative stresses in the liver tissue, without affecting significantly steatosis. In the gut, rhubarb supplementation increased crypt depth, tissue weight, and the expression of antimicrobial peptides.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that some bacterial genders involved in gut barrier function, are promoted by phytochemicals present in rhubarb extract, and could therefore be involved in the modulation of the susceptibility to hepatic diseases linked to acute alcohol consumption.

Agrimonia eupatoria L. and Cynara cardunculus L. Water Infusions: Comparison of Anti-Diabetic Activities

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is frequently diagnosed at a time when patients already suffer from several cardiovascular complications. Our previously published data (Molecules 201520 (11): 20538-50) on the anti-oxidative properties of Agrimonia eupatoria L. (AE) and Cynara cardunculus L. (CC) prompted us to extend the available evidence on their possible protective activities on selected DM-related parameters in a streptozotocin-induced DM rat model and in a series of in vitro experiments. Male rats were divided into four groups: control group, untreated diabetic group, AE and CC treated diabetic groups. During a five-week period, changes in blood glucose and body weight were monitored. Then, rats were sacrificed and subjected to the assessment of changes in the reactivity of aortas and measurement of butyrylcholinesterase activity. To complete the panel of experiments, α-glucosidase activity was assessed in vitro. Our results demonstrate that both tested extracts exert similar anti-diabetic activities. However, better anti-oxidant activity of the A. eupatoria extract indicates its higher clinical potential in the prevention and/or adjuvant therapy of developing cardiovascular complications related to DM and diseases associated with oxidative stress.

Effects of Linderae radix extracts on a rat model of alcoholic liver injury

Traditional treatments have a poor effect on alcoholic liver diseases. Linderae radix (LR), the dried root of Lindera aggregata (Sims) Kosterm., has been frequently used in traditional Chinese medicine for treating various diseases, and has been shown to exhibit a protective effect on liver injury. In the present study, LR extracts were made using various solvents, and then administrated to rats to establish a model of ethanol-induced liver injury. The study aimed to investigate the therapeutic effects and potential mechanism of LR extracts on acute alcoholic liver injury. The serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), triglycercide (TG), cholesterol (TC), methane dicarboxylic aldehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were determined using an automatic biochemistry analyzer. In addition, pathological examination was performed by hematoxylin-eosin staining. The levels of MDA and SOD, and the expression levels of nuclear factor (NF)-κB, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interleukin (IL)-1β in liver tissue were investigated immunohistochemically. The expression of cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1) mRNA was quantified by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The results indicated that LR extracts improved the histopathological status and decreased the serum levels of ALT, AST, TG, TC and MDA. Furthermore, the levels of MDA and inflammatory mediators (NF-κB, TNF-α and IL-1β) were decreased in liver tissues, and the overexpression of CYP2E1 mRNA induced by ethanol treatment. LR extracts exhibited a protective effect on alcoholic liver injury and the mechanism may be associated with the anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative action.

Emodin ameliorates hepatic steatosis through endoplasmic reticulum-stress sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1c pathway in liquid fructose-feeding rats

AIM

To investigate the effects of emodin on the treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver in rats induced by liquid fructose-feeding in rats and the possible underlying mechanisms.

METHODS

Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into the control, fructose-feeding group, and three fructose-feeding groups treated with 40, 80 and 160 mg/kg emodin, respectively. After 4 weeks of feeding, liquid consumption, food intake, bodyweight, liver index, serum triglyceride (TG), glucose and aminotransferases (aspartate aminotransferase [AST] and alanine aminotransferase [ALT]), liver TG contents and histology features were examined. The hepatic expression of lipogenic and fatty acid oxidation key enzymes, and an upstream transcriptional factor, sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1c (SREBP1c) were determined. Glucose regulated protein 78 (GRP78), a liver endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) marker and the unfolded protein response (UPR) related proteins were also measured.

RESULTS

Emodin reduced bodyweight, liver index, serum TG levels of fructose-feeding rats with no significant difference in serum glucose, AST and ALT levels. Emodin improved hepatic steatosis by inhibiting SREBP1c activation and its target genes, and enhancing carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 expression in fructose-feeding rats. Emodin resolved hepatic ERS and the UPR induced by liquid fructose in rats.

CONCLUSION

Emodin is capable of improving the lipid accumulation through the ERS-SREBP1c pathway in fructose-induced non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Pharmacotherapy of alcoholic liver disease in clinical practice

AIMS

Alcohol is the most commonly used addictive substance and alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is a major cause of chronic liver disease worldwide, responsible for 47.9% of all liver chronic deaths. Despite ALD has a significant burden on the health, few therapeutic advances have been made in the last 40 years, particularly in the long-term management of these patients.

METHODS

we searched in PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, and MEDLINE databases to identify relevant English language publications focused on long-term therapy of ALD.

RESULTS

From the huge literature on this topic, including about 755 studies, 75 were selected as eligible including clinical trials and meta-analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

Abstinence remains the cornerstone of ALD therapy but it is also the most difficult therapeutic target to achieve and the risk of recidivism is very high at any time. Several drugs (disulfiram, naltrexone, acamprosate, sodium oxybate) have proven to be effective to prevent alcohol relapse and increase the abstinence, although the psychotherapeutic support remains crucial. Baclofen seems to be effective to improve abstinence, showing an excellent safety and tolerability. ALD is often complicated by a state of malnutrition, which is related to a worst mortality. A nutritional therapy may improve survival in cirrhotic patients, reversing muscle wasting, weight loss and specific nutritional deficiencies. While in aggressive forms of alcoholic hepatitis are recommended specific drug treatments, including glucocorticoids or pentoxifylline, for the long-term treatment of ALD, specific treatments aimed at stopping the progression of fibrosis are not yet approved, but there are some future perspective in this field, including probiotics and antibiotics, caspase inhibitors, osteopontin and endocannabinoids.

Therapeutic Potential of Pterocarpus santalinus L.: An Update

Recently there has been increasing interest in plants and plant-derived compounds as raw food and medicinal agents. In Ayurveda, an Indian system of traditional medicine, a wide spectrum of medicinal properties of Pterocarpus santalinus is described. Many important bioactive phytocompounds have been extracted and identified from the heartwood of P. santalinus. Bioactive compounds typically occur in small amounts and have more subtle effects than nutrients. These bioactive compounds influence cellular activities that modify the risk of disease rather than prevent deficiency diseases. A wide array of biological activities and potential health benefits of P. santalinus have been reported, including antioxidative, antidiabetic, antimicrobial, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory properties, and protective effects on the liver, gastric mucosa, and nervous system. All these protective effects were attributed to bioactive compounds present in P. santalinus. The major bioactive compounds present in the heartwood of P. santalinus are santalin A and B, savinin, calocedrin, pterolinus K and L, and pterostilbenes. The bioactive compounds have potentially important health benefits: These compounds can act as antioxidants, enzyme inhibitors and inducers, inhibitors of receptor activities, and inducers and inhibitors of gene expression, among other actions. The present review aims to understand the pharmacological effects of P. santalinus on health and disease with "up-to-date" discussion.

Gynura procumbens Reverses Acute and Chronic Ethanol-Induced Liver Steatosis through MAPK/SREBP-1c-Dependent and -Independent Pathways

The present study aimed to evaluate the hepatoprotective effect and mechanism of action of Gynura procumbens on acute and chronic ethanol-induced liver injuries. Ethanol extract from G. procumbens stems (EEGS) attenuated acute ethanol-induced serum alanine aminotransferase levels and hepatic lipid accumulation. Therefore, EEGS was successively extracted by petroleum, ethyl acetate, and n-butyl alcohol. The results showed that the n-butyl alcohol extract was the active fraction of EEGS, and hence it was further fractionated on a polyamide glass column. The 60% ethanol-eluted fraction that contained 13.6% chlorogenic acid was the most active fraction, and its effect was further evaluated using a chronic model. Both the n-butyl alcohol extract and the 60% ethanol-eluted fraction inhibited chronic ethanol-induced hepatic lipid accumulation by modulating lipid metabolism-related regulators through MAPK/SREBP-1c-dependent and -independent signaling pathways and ameliorated liver steatosis. Our findings suggest that EEGS and one of its active ingredients, chlorogenic acid, may be developed as potential effective agents for ethanol-induced liver injury.

Acute and sub-acute toxicity of a lyophilised aqueous extract of the aerial part of Spilanthes africana Delile in rats

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Spilanthes africana is a plant used in several countries for the treatment of toothache, malaria, fracture, pneumonia, and dysentery. In order to establish the safety of aerial part of the plant extract, the acute and sub-acute toxicity of the aqueous extract of this plant has been evaluated in male and female young rats.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

In acute toxicity, the effects of a single oral dose (2,000 mg/kg and 5,000 mg/kg) of the lyophilised aqueous extract have been determined. General behaviour, adverse effects and mortality were determined for up to 14 days. In sub-acute treatment, the effects of the extract in daily single oral administration at the doses of 250, 500 and 1,000 mg/kg during 28 days were evaluated. One group treated at the dose of 1,000 mg/kg for 28 days was let without treatment during 14 days to assess the possible reversibility of the harmful effects of the extract. Body weight, food and water intakes, biochemical and haematological parameters were recorded. Histopathological examination of liver, kidney and lungs were assessed.

RESULTS

In acute study, a single administration of the aqueous extract at the doses of 2,000 mg/kg or 5,000 mg/kg did not induce mortality. Thus, the LD50 of the aqueous extract of S. africana has been estimated higher than 5,000 mg/kg. Four hours after administration of the extract, a reduction of the mobility, sensitivity to the noise and to touch has been observed. In sub-acute study, the administration of the extract during 28 days at all doses did not significantly modify the body weight. On the haematological analysis, a decrease of the rate of monocytes and a rise of lymphocytes counts were observed among the male group. In both sexes, it appeared a decrease of the rate of granulocytes two weeks after stopping the treatment. It has also been observed in different groups among the females, an increase of the mean corpuscular content and the mean concentration in haemoglobin as well as an increase of platelets. A significant decrease of transaminases, alkaline phosphatase, triglycerides, and a significant increase of total bilirubin compared to the normal group has been observed. There was a significant decrease in renal catalase in both sexes compared with different control groups. Besides, a significant increase of the kidney rates of glutathione and malondialdehyde have also been observed in the female treated at the doses of 1,000 mg/kg. Histopathological analysis has shown vascular congestion and leucocyte infiltrations in the liver of animals treated at the dose of 1,000 mg/kg. This congestion has been marked in satellite group. In the kidney female satellite group, tubular clarifications have been observed and disappear when stopping the treatment.

CONCLUSION

These results show that the aqueous extract of S. africana given by the oral route is slightly toxic. However in sub-acute treatment, higher doses could provoke functional and structural changes in the organism which could in part reversible. Thus the extract should be used with caution.

Hepatoprotective properties of extensively studied medicinal plant active constituents: possible common mechanisms

CONTEXT

We focused on certain plant active constituents considered to be the most promising/studied for liver disease and that were critically investigated from the basic science point of view and, to some extent, the clinical one. Due to insufficient pharmacological data, most of the herbal formulations containing these molecules cannot be recommended for the treatment of liver disease.

OBJECTIVE

To present the most promising compounds tested experimentally and/or clinically and describe in brief popular models in experimental testing of potential hepatoprotective compounds.

METHODS

A literature search using Web of Science (WOS), PubMed, and Google search was performed.

RESULTS

Focusing on a few herbal hepatoprotective active constituents is useful to health professionals working in the field of therapeutics to develop evidence-based hepatoprotective agents by conducting research on pure chemical structures or on molecular modifications using computational chemistry. This review demonstrates that multi-pathways in the liver pathobiology can be interrupted at one or more levels by natural hepatoprotective studied, such as interference with the oxidative stress at multiple levels to reduce reactive oxygen/nitrogen species, resulting in ameliorating hepatotoxicity.

CONCLUSION

Hepatoprotective constituents of herbal medications are poorly absorbed after oral administration; methods that can improve their bioavailability are being developed. It is recommended that controlled prospective double-blind multicenter studies on isolated active plant constituents, or on related newly designed molecules after structural modifications, should be performed. This effort will lead to expanding the existing, limited drugs for the vast majority of liver diseases.

Herbal SGR Formula Prevents Acute Ethanol-Induced Liver Steatosis via Inhibition of Lipogenesis and Enhancement Fatty Acid Oxidation in Mice

Our previous study indicated that herbal SGR formula partially attenuates ethanol-induced fatty liver, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In the present study, mice were pretreated with SGR (100 and 200 mg/kg/d bw) for 30 d before being exposed to ethanol (4.8 g/kg bw). The biochemical indices and histopathological changes were examined to evaluate the protective effects and to explore potential mechanisms by investigating the adiponectin, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), peroxisome proliferators-activated receptor-α (PPAR-α), sterol regulatory element binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c), adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK), and so forth. Results showed that SGR pretreatment markedly inhibited acute ethanol-induced liver steatosis, significantly reduced serum and hepatic triglyceride (TG) level, and improved classic histopathological changes. SGR suppressed the protein expression of hepatic SREBP-1c and TNF-α and increased adiponectin, PPAR-α, and AMPK phosphorylation in the liver. Meanwhile, acute toxicity tests showed that no death or toxic side effects within 14 days were observed upon oral administration of the extracts at a dose of 16 g/kg body wt. These results demonstrate that SGR could protect against acute alcohol-induced liver steatosis without any toxic side effects. Therefore, our studies provide novel molecular insights into the hepatoprotective effect of SGR formula, which may be exploited as a therapeutic agent for ethanol-induced hepatosteatosis.

Chronic inflammatory disease and osteopathy: a systematic review

Background

Chronic inflammatory diseases (CID) are globally highly prevalent and characterized by severe pathological medical conditions. Several trials were conducted aiming at measuring the effects of manipulative therapies on patients affected by CID. The purpose of this review was to explore the extent to which osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) can be benefi-cial in medical conditions also classified as CID.

Methods

This review included any type of experimental study which enrolled sub-jects with CID comparing OMT with any type of control procedure. The search was conducted on eight databases in January 2014 using a pragmatic literature search approach. Two independent re-viewers conducted study selection and data extraction for each study. The risk of bias was evaluated according to the Cochrane methods. Heterogeneity was assessed and meta-analysis performed where possible.

Results

10 studies met the inclusion criteria for this review enrolling 386 subjects. The search identified six RCTs, one laboratory study, one cross-over pilot studies, one observation-al study and one case control pilot study. Results suggest a potential effect of osteopathic medicine on patients with medical pathologies associated with CID (in particular Chronic Obstructive Pul-monary Disease (COPD), Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Asthma and Peripheral Arterial Disease) com-pared to no treatment or sham therapy although data remain elusive. Moreover one study showed possible effects on arthritis rat model. Meta-analysis was performed for COPD studies only show-ing no effect of any type of OMT applied versus control. No major side effects were reported by those receiving OMT.

Conclusion

The present systematic review showed inconsistent data on the effect of OMT in the treatment of medical conditions potentially associated with CID, however the OMT appears to be a safe approach. Further more robust trials are needed to determine the direction and magnitude of the effect of OMT and to generalize favorable results.

Protective effect of panax notoginseng saponins on acute ethanol-induced liver injury is associated with ameliorating hepatic lipid accumulation and reducing ethanol-mediated oxidative stress

The aim of present study was to evaluate the effects of Panax notoginseng saponins (PNS) against acute ethanol-induced liver injury and further to elucidate its probable mechanisms. Mice were treated with PNS (100 or 300 mg/kg) once daily for seven consecutive days priors to ethanol gavage (4.7 g/kg) every 12 h for a total of three doses. Acute alcohol gavage dramatically significantly increased serum activities of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (23.4 ± 5.0 IU/L vs 11.7 ± 4.1 IU/L) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (52.6 ± 14.9 IU/L vs 31.1 ± 12.9 IU/L), and hepatic triglyceride level (4.04 ± 0.64 mg/g vs 1.92 ± 0.34 mg/g), these elevations were significantly diminished by pretreatment with PNS at dose of 100 mg/kg or 300 mg/kg. Alcohol exposure markedly induced the lipolysis of white adipose tissue (WAT), up-regulated protein expression of the phosphorylated hormone-sensitive lipase (p-HSL, p < 0.01), and total HSL (p < 0.01), and enhanced fatty acid uptake capacity in liver as indicated by increasing hepatic CD36 expression (p < 0.01), these effects were attenuated by PNS treatment. Additionally, PNS suppressed the elevation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and malondialdehyde (MDA) content, reduced TNF-α and IL-6 levels, restored glutathione (GSH) level, enhanced the superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in liver, and abrogated cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1) induction. These data demonstrated that pretreatment with PNS protected against acute ethanol-induced liver injury, possibly through ameliorating hepatic lipid accumulation and reducing CYP2E1-mediated oxidative stress. Our findings also suggested that PNS may be potential to be developed as an effective agent for acute ethanol-induced liver injury.

Protective effects of Penthorum chinense Pursh against chronic ethanol-induced liver injury in mice

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Penthorum chinense Pursh (Penthoraceae) has been used as a Miao ethnomedicine for the treatment of jaundice, cholecystitis, edema, infectious hepatitis and anti-drunk hangover in China. The aim of present study is to investigate the possible protective effects of Penthorum chinense against chronic ethanol-induced liver injury.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Mice were fed a Lieber-DeCarli liquid diet containing alcohol or isocaloric maltose dextrin as control diet with or without aqueous extract of Penthorum chinense (PCP, 5.15 and 10.30 g/kg/BW) for 4 weeks. Silymarin (86 mg/kg) was used as positive control to compare the efficacy of PCP against chronic ethanol-induced hepatotoxicity.

RESULTS

Treatment with PCP (10.30 g/kg) significantly reduced the increases in serum ALT and AST levels, hepatic lipid accumulation and inflammatory cytokines (i.e. TNF-α, IL-6), which were induced by chronic ethanol exposure. PCP was also found to attenuate reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and malondialdehyde (MDA) level, restore the glutathione (GSH) depletion, and increase the superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities. In addition, PCP supplementation (10.30 g/kg) inhibited the induction of hepatic cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1), a major contributor to ethanol-mediated oxidative stress, and up-regulated the expression of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and its downstream anti-oxidant protein heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) in ethanol-treated mice.

CONCLUSIONS

These results indicate that the co-treatment with aqueous extract of Penthorum chinense (10.30 g/kg) protects against chronic ethanol-induced liver injury, possibly through suppressing CYP2E1-mediated oxidative stress and enhancing the oxidant defense systems via the activation of Nrf2/HO-1 pathway.

Protective effect of oligomeric proanthocyanidins against alcohol-induced liver steatosis and injury in mice

The long-term consumption of alcohol has been associated with multiple pathologies at all levels, such as alcoholism, chronic pancreatitis, malnutrition, alcoholic liver disease (ALD) and cancer. In the current study, we investigated the protective effect of oligomeric proanthocyanidins (OPC) against alcohol-induced liver steatosis and injury and the possible mechanisms using ethanol-induced chronic liver damage mouse models. The results showed that OPC significantly improved alcohol-induced dyslipidemia and alleviated liver steatosis by reducing levels of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), total triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low-density cholesterol (LDL-c) and liver malondialdehyde (MDA), and increasing levels of serum high-density lipoprotein (HDL-c), liver superoxide dismutase (SOD). Further investigation indicated that OPC markedly decreased the expressions of lipid synthesis genes and inflammation genes such as sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c (Srebp-1c), protein-2 (Srebp2), interleukin IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α. Furthermore, AML-12 cells line was used to investigate the possible mechanisms which indicated that OPC might alleviate liver steatosis and damage through AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activation involving oxidative stress. In conclusion, our study demonstrated excellent protective effect of OPC against alcohol-induced liver steatosis and injury, which could a potential drug for the treatment of alcohol-induced liver injury in the future.

UPLC/Q-TOFMS-Based Metabolomics Studies on the Protective Effect of Panax notoginseng Saponins on Alcoholic Liver Injury

Consistent, excessive alcohol consumption leads to liver injury. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the possible efficacy of Panax notoginseng saponins (PNS) against chronic alcohol-induced liver injury using LC-MS-based urinary metabolomics. Mice were fed a Lieber–DeCarli liquid diet containing alcohol or isocaloric maltose dextrin as a control diet with or without PNS (200 mg/kg/BW) for 4 weeks. Treatment with PNS significantly reduced the increases in plasma ALT and AST levels, hepatic levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA), which induced by chronic alcohol exposure. Conversely, PNS was also found to restore the glutathione (GSH) depletion and increase the superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities. The end-point urine sample of each mouse was collected overnight (24 h) in metabolic cages and their metabolic profiling changes were analyzed using UPLC/Q-TOFMS followed by multivariate statistical analysis. After 4 week of Lieber–DeCarli alcohol diet feeding, the metabolic profile experienced great perturbation in PCA score plot, and the treatment of PNS could assist to regulate the disturbed metabolic profile induced by alcohol exposure. Additionally, sixteen potential biomarkers responsible for derivations of the metabolic profile induced by alcohol exposure were identified, and the alcohol-induced changes in these biomarkers, except hexanoylglycine, could be partially or nearly reversed by PNS treatment. Taken together, PNS protects against chronic alcohol-induced liver injury. Our findings demonstrated that the LC-MS-based metabolomics approach is a useful tool to investigate the efficacy of Chinese medicines.

The hepatoprotective effect of aqueous extracts of Penthorum chinense Pursh against acute alcohol-induced liver injury is associated with ameliorating hepatic steatosis and reducing oxidative stress

Aqueous extracts ofPenthorum chinensePursh, a health food and folk medicine, protects against acute alcohol-induced liver injury.

Xanthohumol, a prenylated flavonoid from hops (Humulus lupulus L.), protects rat tissues against oxidative damage after acute ethanol administration

Ethanol-mediated free radical generation is directly involved in alcoholic liver disease. In addition, chronic alcohol bingeing also induces pathological changes and dysfunction in multi-organs. In the present study, the protective effect of xanthohumol (XN) on ethanol-induced damage was evaluated by determining antioxidative parameters and stress oxidative markers in liver, kidney, lung, heart and brain of rats. An acute treatment (4 g/kg b.w.) of ethanol resulted in the depletion of superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione S-transferase activities and reduced glutathione content. This effect was accompanied by the increased activity of tissue damage marker enzymes (glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase, glutamate pyruvate transaminase and lactate dehydrogenase) and a significant increase in lipid peroxidation and hydrogen peroxide concentrations. Pre-treatment with XN protected rat tissues from ethanol-induced oxidative imbalance and partially mitigated the levels to nearly normal levels in all tissues checked. This effect was dose dependent, suggesting that XN reduces stress oxidative and protects rat tissues from alcohol-induced injury.

Hepatoprotective potential of Aloe vera polysaccharides against chronic alcohol-induced hepatotoxicity in mice

BACKGROUND

Aloe vera polysaccharides are reported to exhibit multiple biological effects, including anti-oxidation, anti-inflammation and immune enhancement. However, their influence on alcoholic liver disease (ALD) remains unclear. This study was designed to determine the protective effect of extracted A. vera polysaccharides (AVGP) against ALD in a chronic alcohol-feeding mouse model and investigate the possible underlying mechanisms.

RESULTS

Supplementation of AVGP significantly attenuated the levels of serum aminotransferases, lipids and hepatic TG and ameliorated histopathological alterations in the model of ALD. Interestingly, AVGP markedly up-regulated hepatic expression of lipolytic genes (AMPK-α2 and PPAR-α) but had no effect on lipogenic gene expression. AVGP diminished alcohol-dependent oxidative stress partly through a decrease in MDA and increase in GSH and SOD. Alcohol-induced inflammation was also mitigated by AVGP treatment via significant reduction in LPS and TNF-α, down-regulation of TLR-4 and MyD88 and up-regulation of IκB-α.

CONCLUSION

This study clearly showed that AVGP exerts a potent protective effect against chronic alcohol-induced liver injury. Its hepatoprotective effect appears to be associated with its antioxidant capacity and its ability to accelerate lipolysis and inhibit inflammatory response. The results indicate that AVGP could be considered as a potent food supplement in the prevention of ALD.

An evidence-based systematic review of kudzu (Pueraria lobata) by the Natural Standard Research Collaboration

An evidence-based systematic review of kudzu (Pueraria lobata) by the Natural Standard Research Collaboration consolidates the safety and efficacy data available in the scientific literature using a validated, reproducible grading rationale. This article includes written and statistical analysis of clinical trials, plus a compilation of expert opinion, folkloric precedent, history, pharmacology, kinetics/dynamics, interactions, adverse effects, toxicology, and dosing.

Scopoletin prevents alcohol-induced hepatic lipid accumulation by modulating the AMPK-SREBP pathway in diet-induced obese mice

OBJECTIVE

This study investigated the effects of scopoletin on alcohol-induced hepatic lipid accumulation in diet-induced obese mice and its mechanism.

MATERIAL/METHODS

Alcohol (25% v/v, 5g/kg body weight) was orally administered once a day for 6 weeks to mice fed with a high-fat diet (35%kcal) with or without scopoletin (0.05%, wt/wt).

RESULTS

Scopoletin reduced plasma acetaldehyde, fatty acid, total cholesterol, triglyceride and insulin levels, hepatic lipid and droplets and fasting blood glucose levels that were increased by alcohol. Scopoletin significantly activated hepatic AMPK and inhibited ACC and SREBP-1c and the activities of lipogenic enzymes, such as FAS, PAP and G6PD compared to the alcohol control group. Moreover, scopoletin significantly inhibited hepatic CYP2E1 activity and protein levels but elevated the activities of SOD, CAT, GSH-Px and GST and the levels of GSH compared to the alcohol control group. The hepatic lipid peroxide level was significantly lowered by scopoletin supplementation in alcohol-administered obese mice.

CONCLUSIONS

Taken together, these results suggested that scopoletin can ameliorate alcohol-induced hepatic lipid accumulation by modulating AMPK-SREBP pathway-mediated lipogenesis in mice fed a high-fat diet.

Modulation of hepatic sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c-mediated gene expression contributes to Salacia oblonga root-elicited improvement of fructose-induced fatty liver in rats

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Salacia oblonga root (SOR) is a traditionally herbal medicine for obesity and diabetes, which are closely associated with fatty liver. To investigate the molecular mechanisms of SOR in the treatment of dietary-induced fatty liver.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Male rats were co-administered with fructose in drinking water and vehicle or the aqueous-ethanolic extract of SOR (by gavage, once daily) for 10 weeks. Biochemical variables were determined enzymatically or by ELISA. Gene expression was analyzed by Real-Time PCR and/or Western blot.

RESULTS

SOR treatment (20mg/kg) diminished fructose-induced fatty liver indicated by decreases in excess triglyceride accumulation and the increased vacuolization and Oil Red O staining area in the livers of rats. Importantly, Hepatic gene expression profile revealed that SOR suppressed fructose-stimulated overexpression of sterol regulatory element-binding protein (SREBP)-1/1c mRNA and nuclear protein. In accord, overexpression of SREBP-1c-responsive genes, such as fatty acid synthase, acetyl-CoA carboxylase-1 and stearoyl-CoA desaturase-1, was also downregulated. In contrast, overexpressed nuclear protein of carbohydrate response element binding protein and mRNA of its target gene liver pyruvate kinase were not altered. Additionally, SOR also did not affect expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma- and -alpha, as well as their target genes, such as carnitine palmitoyltransferase-1a, acyl-CoA oxidase and CD36.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that modulation of hepatic sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c-mediated gene expression contributes to SOR-elicited improvement of fructose-induced fatty liver in rats. Our findings provide a better understanding of SOR in the treatment of obesity and diabetes.