Protective activity of an anthocyanin-rich extract from bilberries and blackcurrants on acute acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity in rats

A comparative analysis of small RNA sequencing data in tubers of purple potato and its red mutant reveals small RNA regulation in anthocyanin biosynthesis

Anthocyanins are a group of natural pigments acting as stress protectants induced by biotic/abiotic stress in plants. Although the metabolic pathway of anthocyanin has been studied in potato, the roles of miRNAs on the metabolic pathway remain unclear. In this study, a purple tetraploid potato of SD92 and its red mutant of SD140 were selected to explore the regulation mechanism of miRNA in anthocyanin biosynthesis. A comparative analysis of small RNAs between SD92 and SD140 revealed that there were 179 differentially expressed miRNAs, including 65 up- and 114 down-regulated miRNAs. Furthermore, 31 differentially expressed miRNAs were predicted to potentially regulate 305 target genes. KEGG pathway enrichment analysis for these target genes showed that plant hormone signal transduction pathway and plant-pathogen interaction pathway were significantly enriched. The correlation analysis of miRNA sequencing data and transcriptome data showed that there were 140 negative regulatory miRNA-mRNA pairs. The miRNAs included miR171 family, miR172 family, miR530b_4 and novel_mir170. The mRNAs encoded transcription factors, hormone response factors and protein kinases. All these results indicated that miRNAs might regulate anthocyanin biosynthesis through transcription factors, hormone response factors and protein kinase.

Acetaminophen induced hepatotoxicity: An overview of the promising protective effects of natural products and herbal formulations

BACKGROUND

The liver plays an important role in regulating the metabolic processes and is the most frequently targeted organ by toxic chemicals. Acetaminophen (APAP) is a well-known anti-allergic, anti-pyretic, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), which upon overdose leads to hepatotoxicity, the major adverse event of this over-the-counter drug.

PURPOSE

APAP overdose induced acute liver injury is the second most common cause that often requires liver transplantation worldwide, for which N-acetyl cysteine is the only synthetic drug clinically approved as an antidote. So, it was felt that there is a need for the novel therapeutic approach for the treatment of liver diseases with less adverse effects. This review provides detailed analysis of the different plant extracts; phytochemicals and herbal formulations for the amelioration of APAP-induced liver injury.

METHOD

The data was collected using different online resources including PubMed, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, Springer, and Web of Science using keywords given below.

RESULTS

Over the past decades various reports have revealed that plant-based approaches may be a better treatment choice for the APAP-induced hepatotoxicity in pre-clinical experimental conditions. Moreover, herbal compounds provide several advantages over the synthetic drugs with fewer side effects, easy availability and less cost for the treatment of life-threatening diseases.

CONCLUSION

The current review summarizes the hepatoprotective effects and therapeutic mechanisms of various plant extracts, active phytoconstituents and herbal formulations with potential application against APAP induced hepatotoxicity as the numbers of hepatoprotective natural products are more without clinical relativity. Further, pre-clinical pharmacological research will contribute to the designing of natural products as medicines with encouraging prospects for clinical application.

Anthocyanins: Traditional Uses, Structural and Functional Variations, Approaches to Increase Yields and Products' Quality, Hepatoprotection, Liver Longevity, and Commercial Products

Anthocyanins are water-soluble, colored compounds of the flavonoid class, abundantly found in the fruits, leaves, roots, and other parts of the plants. The fruit berries are prime sources and exhibit different colors. The anthocyanins utility as traditional medicament for liver protection and cure, and importance as strongest plants-based anti-oxidants have conferred these plants products different biological activities. These activities include anti-inflammation, liver protective, analgesic, and anti-cancers, which have provided the anthocyanins an immense commercial value, and has impelled their chemistry, biological activity, isolation, and quality investigations as prime focus. Methods in extraction and production of anthocyanin-based products have assumed vital economic importance. Different extraction techniques in aquatic solvents mixtures, eutectic solvents, and other chemically reactive extractions including low acid concentrations-based extractions have been developed. The prophylactic and curative therapy roles of the anthocyanins, together with no reported toxicity has offered much-needed impetus and economic benefits to these classes of compounds which are commercially available. Information retrieval from various search engines, including the PubMed®, ScienceDirect®, Scopus®, and Google Scholar®, were used in the review preparation. This imparted an outlook on the anthocyanins occurrence, roles in plants, isolation-extraction, structures, biosynthetic as well as semi- and total-synthetic pathways, product quality and yields enhancements, including uses as part of traditional medicines, and uses in liver disorders, prophylactic and therapeutic applications in liver protection and longevity, liver cancer and hepatocellular carcinoma. The review also highlights the integrated approach to yields maximizations to meet the regular demands of the anthocyanins products, also as part of the extract-rich preparations together with a listing of marketed products available for human consumption as nutraceuticals/food supplements.

Protective effects of hydroalcoholic extract of Stachys pilifera on paracetamol-induced nephrotoxicity in female rats

Background and purpose:

Stachys pilifera is used in traditional medicine due to its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial effects. The goal of this study was to examine the renoprotective activity of the hydroalcoholic extract of aerial parts of S. pilifera on paracetamol (PCM)-induced nephrotoxicity.

Experimental approach:

The Wistar female rats were randomly divided into four groups including control, PCM, S. pilifera hydroalcoholic extract (SPE), and PCM + SPE. The animals received SPE (500 mg/kg) for one week and PCM (3 g/kg) on the 6^th day orally. Kidney function tests and oxidant/antioxidant markers were determined in serum and tissue homogenate, respectively. Protein and mRNA levels of TNF-α, as well as hematoxylin and eosin staining, were assessed in the kidney tissue.

Findings/Results:

Treatment with SPE in the PCM group significantly decreased blood urea nitrogen and creatinine against the merely PCM rats (P < 0.05). The amount of nitric oxide metabolite and superoxide dismutase activity in the group receiving SPE showed a significant increase compared to PCM rats (P < 0.05). A significant difference in TNF-α levels between the groups was not observed. Histological changes were improved in the rats treated with SPE.

Conclusion and implications:

Totally, our findings showed that SPE can inhibit PCM nephrotoxicity by enhancing kidney function markers, antioxidant status, and histological changes. Though, more researches are required to estimate the possible mechanism of SPE.

Evaluation of the protective potential of hydroalcoholic extract of Thymus daenensis on acetaminophen-induced nephrotoxicity in rats

Background

Acetaminophen (APAP) is an antinociceptive and antipyretic drug that can be useful in therapeutic doses, although it can cause serious damage to the kidney if used overdose. The current study aimed to evaluate the protective effect of Thymus daenensis (TD) extract on APAP-induced kidney damage in rats.

Methods

Thirty female Wistar rats were randomly divided into 5 groups: control, APAP (3 g/kg), TD (500 mg/kg), APAP + TD (500 mg/kg), and APAP + N- acetylcysteine (140 mg/kg). The APAP groups received APAP on the 6th day and the rats were sacrificed on the 7th day. Plasma levels of creatinine (Cr) and urea were measured. Ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), nitric oxide (NO) metabolite, total thiol (T-SH), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and antioxidant enzymes activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and catalase (CAT) were measured in kidney tissue. The gene expression of TNF-α was also measured by real-time PCR. The histological examination of kidney tissue was also performed.

Results

Results showed that urea, Cr and FRAP markers markedly elevated in the APAP rats compared with the control group. There was a significant decrease in T-SH levels in the APAP animals in comparison with the control group. CAT activity also augmented in the APAP group compared to the control group. Urea and Cr levels were significantly decreased in the APAP + TD group in comparison with the APAP group. The administration of TD extract significantly increased the SOD enzyme activity. Histological findings were improved in the group treated with TD extract.

Conclusion

In general, the results indicate that TD extract can protect against APAP-induced nephrotoxicity by improving biochemical, histological and antioxidant effects. However, more studies are required to determine the mechanism of this extract.

Herbal Therapy for the Treatment of Acetaminophen-Associated Liver Injury: Recent Advances and Future Perspectives

Acetaminophen (APAP) overdose is the leading cause of drug-induced liver injury worldwide, and mitochondrial oxidative stress is considered the major event responsible for APAP-associated liver injury (ALI). Despite the identification of N-acetyl cysteine, a reactive oxygen species scavenger that is regarded as an effective clinical treatment, therapeutic effectiveness remains limited due to rapid disease progression and diagnosis at a late phase, which leads to the need to explore various therapeutic approaches. Since the early 1990s, a number of natural products and herbs have been found to have hepatoprotective effects against APAP-induced hepatotoxicity in terms of acute liver failure prevention and therapeutic amelioration of ALI. In this review, we summarize the hepatoprotective effects and mechanisms of medicinal plants, including herbs and fruit extracts, along with future perspectives that may provide guidance to improve the current status of herbal therapy against ALI.

Hepatoprotective and antioxidant activity of hydroalcoholic extract of Stachys pilifera. Benth on acetaminophen-induced liver toxicity in male rats

Background

Acetaminophen (APAP) at high doses causes adverse side effects such as hepatotoxicity. The aim of the current study was to investigate the hepatoprotective and antioxidant effects of hydroalcoholic extract of Stachys pilifera. Benth (SP) on hepatotoxicity induced by APAP in male rats.

Methods

Adult male Wistar rats were allocated into four groups: control (C), APAP (2 g/kg), APAP + SP (500 mg/kg), and APAP + Silymarin (SM, 100 mg/kg) as positive control group. On the seventh day, the rats were sacrificed after taking blood samples. Then levels of biochemical parameters, oxidative stress markers and activity of antioxidant enzymes were measured.

Results

In the APAP group, aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) enzymes activity was significantly increased and the level of protein carbonyl (PCO) was insignificantly increased as compared to control group. In addition, the activity of glutathione peroxidase (GPX) and total thiol in the APAP group was significantly decreased compared to the normal rats. Stachys pilifera. Benth extract administration significantly reduced the activity of AST and ALT enzymes and the level of PCO compared to the APAP group, while significantly elevated the activity of GPX enzyme.

Conclusion

Hydroalcoholic extract of SP diminishes hepatotoxicity induced by APAP by reducing the amount of liver function indicators (AST and ALT). Furthermore, the hydroalcoholic extract of SP is capable of reducing oxidative stress through inhibiting protein oxidation as well as boosting the activity of GPX enzyme. In this respect, the hepatoprotective impact induced by the SP extract may possibly be attributable to its reactive oxygen species scavenging and antioxidant properties.

Protection efficiency of red radish seeds and roots against paracetamol mediated hepatotoxicity in rats

Introduction: Protection of liver from the aggressive force of various environmental and chemical agents is very important for the overall health of an individual. So, the present study aimed to evaluate the protection efficiency of crude extracts of red radish seeds and roots against paracetamol mediated hepatotoxicity in rats. Methods: Twenty-four male Wistar rats were divided into four groups. Group I was served as normal rats, Group II received orally single dose of 2 g paracetamol/kg body weight on the 22nd day, Group III and Group IV were administered orally with 300 mg/kg/d crude ethanol extract of either seeds or roots of red radish for 21 days, then received paracetamol on 22nd day. After 48 hours of paracetamol administration blood was withdrawn to determine the activities of aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and Gama-GT (γ-GT) as well as total and direct bilirubin. Also, liver tissues were separated to determine malondialdehyde (MDA) and nitric oxide (NO) as well as histological changes. Results: Pretreatment of rats with crude ethanol extract of either seeds or roots of red radish significantly (P ≤ 0.05) suppressed the elevations in serum activities of ALT, AST, ALP, γ- GT, total and direct bilirubin as well as liver MDA and NO levels. The results of histopathologic examinations were consistent with the biochemical results. Conclusion: Seeds and roots of red radish have a protection efficiency against paracetamol mediated oxidative damage and hepatotoxicity in rats.

Hepatoprotective and antioxidant activity of watercress extract on acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity in rats

Introduction

Acetaminophen (APAP) as an analgesic and antipyretic drug can result to liver damages while using more than 4 g/day. Therefore, APAP toxicity causes the liver to dysfunction. This study aims to investigate the hepatoprotective and antioxidant activity of hydroalcoholic extract of watercress (WC) in APAP-induced hepatotoxicity in rats.

Materials and methods

Randomly, twenty-four Wistar rats were divided into four groups of six each. Groups named as control, APAP, APAP + WC and APAP + S for group 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively. Group 1 received distilled water 1 ml/kg for 7 days. In group 2, 3, and 4, rats pretreated by receiving distilled water (1 ml/kg), WC extract (500 mg/kg), silymarin extract (mg/kg) for 7 days, respectively. Of note, to induce acute hepatotoxicity in groups 2, 3, and 4, rats posttreated by orally intoxicated with single dose of APAP (2 g/kg) on the sixth day. The animals were sacrificed on the seventh day. Alanine amino transferase (ALT), aspartate amino transferase (AST), ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP), protein carbonyl (PCO), total thiol (T-SH), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities were measured in plasma. It should be noted that the chemical composition of WC extract was identified by GC-MS analysis.

Results

The results have shown that there was a significant increase in AST, ALT, FRAP and PCO content in APAP group in comparison to control. Also, there was a significant reduction in T-SH levels and GPx activity in APAP group compared to control. However, administration of WC extract and silymarin not only causes a significant decrease in AST activity, but they markedly increased T-SH content and GPx activity compared to APAP group. GC-MS analysis showed the major compositions were found to be benzenepropanenitrile (48.30 %), Phytol (10.10 %), α-cadinene (9.50%) and linolenic acid (8.0).

Conclusions

It is concluded that the WC extract reduces APAP-induced toxicity through its hepatoprotective and antioxidant activity in rats.

Variation of anthocyanins and other major phenolic compounds throughout the ripening of four Portuguese blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L) cultivars

Blueberries are widely recognised as one of the richest sources of bioactive compounds, among which are anthocyanins, though the ripeness of berries has been reported as affecting the phytochemical composition of fruits. Therefore, the present work aimed to evaluate the variation of anthocyanins, and other major phenolics, throughout five ripening stages in four blueberry cultivars. The results showed that the antioxidant capacity and anthocyanin content increased during ripening, reaching the highest values when the blueberries are collected from bunches comprised of 75% ripe blueberries. Antagonistically, the amount of phenolic acid decreases, while the quercetin-3-glucoside levels remain stable. Furthermore, Goldtraube blueberries appear to possess, systematically, higher amounts of phenolic compounds than the other cultivars studied. Thus, when seeking the highest yield of anthocyanins, the preferred harvest should occur in bunches that contain ca 75% of ripe blueberries and, considering the cultivars assayed, the Goldtraube cultivar appears to be the richest in phenolic compounds.