Protective Effect of Hericium erinaceus on Alcohol Induced Hepatotoxicity in Mice

Alcohol spiked with zolpidem and midazolam potentiates inflammation, oxidative stress and organ damage in a mouse model

PURPOSE

Crime-related spiking of alcoholic drinks with prescription drugs is quite common and has been happening for centuries. This study, therefore, evaluated the effects of oral administration of alcohol spiked with the zolpidem and midazolam potent sedatives on inflammation, oxidative stress and various organ damage in male Swiss albino mice.

METHODS

Mice were randomly assigned into six treatment groups; the first group constituted the normal control, the second group received 50 mg/kg body weight of zolpidem only, the third group received 50 mg/kg body weight zolpidem dissolved in 5 g/kg alcohol, the fourth group received 50 mg/kg midazolam only, the fifth group received midazolam (50 mg/kg) dissolved in 5 g/kg alcohol and the sixth group received 5 g/kg alcohol.

RESULTS

Alcohol-induced significant reduction in neurological function and altered blood hematological indicators. Such neurological impairment and negative effects on blood were exacerbated in mice administered with spiked alcohol. Additionally, midazolam and zolpidem enhanced alcohol-driven elevation of liver function markers; the serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) gamma glutamyltransferase (GGT), total bilirubin and alkaline phosphatase. Exposure to alcohol and/or spiked alcohol led to significant augmentation of nitric oxide and malonaldehyde, with concomitant depletion of liver glutathione (GSH) levels. Similarly, serum levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor alpha and interferon-gamma were increased by co-exposure with midazolam or zolpidem. Alcohol-induced hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity were amplified by exposure to alcohol spiked with midazolam/zolpidem.

CONCLUSION

Exposure to alcohol spiked with midazolam or zolpidem appears to exacerbate neurological deficits, inflammation, oxidative stress, and organ damage.

Animal Models of Alcoholic Liver Disease for Hepatoprotective Activity Evaluation

Background: The reported statistics suggest that alcoholic liver disease is on the rise. Furthermore, medications used to treat the disease have unpleasant effects, and this necessitates the need to continuously investigate hepatoprotective agents. This study investigates animal models of alcoholic liver disease used to evaluate hepatoprotective activity. Content: A good number of published articles evaluating hepatoprotective activity were summarized. The studies used three ethanol-induced liver injury models: the acute ethanol-induced liver injury model, the chronic ethanol-induced liver injury model, and Lieber– DeCarli model. Summary: Wistar rats were primarily used in the ethanol-induced liver injury model. High levels of alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartate transaminase (AST) and histopathological alterations were found in all animal models (acute ethanol-induced liver injury, chronic ethanol-induced liver injury, and Lieber–DeCarli models). Severe steatosis was shown in both chronic ethanol-induced liver injury and Lieber–DeCarli models. However, fibrosis was undetected in all models.

Hericium Erinaceus Prevents DEHP-Induced Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Apoptosis in PC12 Cells

Hericium Erinaceus (HE) is a medicinal plant known to possess anticarcinogenic, antibiotic, and antioxidant activities. It has been shown to have a protective effect against ischemia-injury-induced neuronal cell death in rats. As an extending study, here we examined in pheochromocytoma 12 (PC12) cells, whether HE could exert a protective effect against oxidative stress and apoptosis induced by di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP), a plasticizer known to cause neurotoxicity. We demonstrated that pretreatment with HE significantly attenuated DEHP induced cell death. This protective effect may be attributed to its ability to reduce intracellular reactive oxygen species levels, preserving the activity of respiratory complexes and stabilizing the mitochondrial membrane potential. Additionally, HE pretreatment significantly modulated Nrf2 and Nrf2-dependent vitagenes expression, preventing the increase of pro-apoptotic and the decrease of anti-apoptotic markers. Collectively, our data provide evidence of new preventive nutritional strategy using HE against DEHP-induced apoptosis in PC12 cells.

Modulatory effects of Viola odorata flower and leaf extracts upon oxidative stress-related damage in an experimental model of ethanol-induced hepatotoxicity

Ethanol is the most widely abused drug in the world and its long-term use induces oxidative stress in the liver tissue. The aim of this study was to evaluate protective effect of Viola odorata against ethanol-induced hepatotoxicity in Wistar rat. Animals were divided into 9 groups as follows: control (normal saline), ethanol (10 mg/kg, intraperitoneally), ethanol with 3 doses (125, 250, and 500 mg/kg) of ethyl acetate flower and leaf extracts, and positive control (vitamin E 80 mg/kg). Animals were gavaged 30 min before ethanol injection for 28 days. Then, animals were killed and the livers were separated. Oxidative stress parameters, including reactive oxygen species, lipid peroxidation, and protein carbonyl as well as glutathione content, were evaluated. Also, histopathological examination was performed and assessment of blood alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, and total antioxidant capacity were evaluated. Ethanol significantly increased oxidative stress markers in liver. Interestingly, administration of both extracts significantly decreased oxidative stress markers in liver tissue and biochemical parameters in the plasma. In addition, abnormal pathological features were improved after treatment with flower and leaf extracts. These results suggested that V. odorata can be considered a candidate for improving conditions due to ethanol-induced tissue oxidative damage because of its antioxidant activity.

Assessment of hepatoprotective potential of Radix Fici Hirtae on alcohol-induced liver injury in Kunming mice

Objective

The objective of the present study was to investigate the hepatoprotective role of Radix Fici Hirtae on acute alcohol-induced liver injury in mice.

Methods

The component of Radix Fici Hirtae was extracted using petroleum ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate and n-butanol and divided into three dose groups of high, medium and low according to the clinical man's normal dose of the 50 g crude drug/d (0.83 g/kg body weight). Saline in concentration of 10 mg/mL, 5 mg/mL and 2.5 mg/mL and a dose of mouse lavage (0.2 mL/10 g mouse body weight) were added to the solution. Histopathlogical analysis of liver was performed. Finally, liver protection was validated by examining the effect of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (AKP), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) on the hepatic function of mice in alcohol-induced liver injury model.

Results

Except for group with saturated n-butyl alcohol, for the rest of the groups, pathological changes of hepatic lipid and inflammatory cells infiltration were alleviated and liver sinus was normal. As compared to model group, the concentrations of AST, ALT, AKP and LDH in chloroform groups and ethyl acetate groups were significantly decreased.

Conclusions

Extracts of Radix Fici Hirtae are effective for the prevention of alcohol-induced hepatic damage in mice. The results revealed that extracts of Radix Fici Hirtae could be used as hepatoprotective agent.

The Association between Alcohol Consumption and β-Cell Function and Insulin Sensitivity in Korean Population

This cross-sectional study was performed to examine the association between alcohol consumption and insulin secretion and sensitivity using the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study. Alcohol consumption levels were categorized into four groups: (i) abstainers, (ii) low (<5 g/day), (iii) intermediate (<30 g/day), and (iv) high (≥30 g/day) alcohol consumption. β-cell function and insulin sensitivity were estimated using the insulinogenic index (IGI60), and Matsuda insulin sensitivity index (ISI), respectively. IGI60 and ISI were dichotomized into high and low groups using median cut-off values and four groups were defined (G-I: high IGI60/high ISI; G-II: high IGI60/low ISI; G-III: low IGI60/high ISI; and G-IV: low IGI60/low ISI). Men consumed 26.5 g alcohol per day on average, whereas women only consumed 5.7 g/day, so women were excluded from subsequent analyses due to their low drinking levels. Alcohol consumption was positively associated with high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and triglycerides (TG) in men, but was negatively associated with IGI60 (p < 0.05). TG levels were only increased in individuals with decreased insulin sensitivity (G-II) or decreased β-cell function (G-III) with high alcohol consumption. In addition, alcohol consumption increased HDL cholesterol in the four groups (p < 0.001). In subjects with decreased insulin sensitivity (G-II), intermediate and high alcohol consumption increased the risk of high cholesterol and TG. In individuals with decreased β-cell function (G-III), alcohol consumption increased the risk of high TG and high AST levels. High alcohol consumption was significantly associated with reduced insulin secretion. In addition, alcohol consumption was related to some metabolic risk factors depending on insulin secretion or sensitivity.