Magnesium Isoglycyrrhizinate Attenuates Anti-Tuberculosis Drug-Induced Liver Injury by Enhancing Intestinal Barrier Function and Inhibiting the LPS/TLRs/NF-κB Signaling Pathway in Mice

Liver injury caused by first-line anti-tuberculosis (anti-TB) drugs accounts for a high proportion of drug-induced liver injury (DILI), and gut microbiota and intestinal barrier integrity have been shown to be involved in the development of DILI. Magnesium isoglycyrrhizinate (MgIG) is the fourth-generation glycyrrhizic acid preparation, which is well documented to be effective against anti-TB DILI, but the underlying mechanism is largely unclear. In the present study, we established a BALB/c mice animal model of the HRZE regimen (39 mg/kg isoniazid (H), 77 mg/kg rifampicin (R), 195 mg/kg pyrazinamide (Z), and 156 mg/kg ethambutol (E))-induced liver injury to investigate the protective effect of MgIG against anti-TB DILI and underlying mechanisms. The results demonstrated that intraperitoneal injection of MgIG (40 mg/kg) significantly ameliorated HRZE-induced liver injury by reducing alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (AKP), and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and improved liver pathological changes. Species composition analysis of gut microbiota showed that Lactobacillus was the only probiotic that was down-regulated by HRZE and recovered by MgIG. In addition, MgIG attenuated HRZE-induced intestinal pathology, significantly decreased HRZE-induced intestinal permeability by increasing the protein expression of tight junction protein 1 (ZO-1) and occludin, decreased HRZE-induced high lipopolysaccharide (LPS) levels, and further markedly attenuated mRNA expression levels of TNF-α, IL-6, TLR2, TLR4, and NF-κB. Supplementation with Lactobacillus rhamnosus JYLR-005 (>109 CFU/day/mouse) alleviated HRZE-induced liver injury and inflammation in mice. In summary, MgIG effectively ameliorated HRZE-induced liver injury by restoring the abundance of Lactobacillus, enhancing intestinal barrier function, and further inhibiting the activation of the LPS/TLRs/NF-κB signaling pathway. Regulating gut microbiota and promoting the integrity of intestinal barrier function may become a new direction for the prevention and treatment of anti-TB DILI.

MgIG exerts therapeutic effects on crizotinib-induced hepatotoxicity by limiting ROS-mediated autophagy and pyroptosis

Crizotinib (CRIZO) has been widely employed to treat non‐small‐cell lung cancer. However, hepatic inflammatory injury is the major toxicity of CRIZO, which limits its clinical application, and the underlying mechanism of CRIZO‐induced hepatotoxicity has not been fully explored. Herein, we used cell counting kit‐8 assay and flow cytometry to detect CRIZO‐induced cytotoxicity on human hepatocytes (HL‐7702). CRIZO significantly reduced the survival rate of hepatocytes in a dose‐dependent manner. Furthermore, the reactive oxygen species (ROS) assay kit showed that CRIZO treatment strongly increased the level of ROS. In addition, CRIZO treatment caused the appearance of balloon‐like bubbles and autophagosomes in HL‐7702 cells. Subsequently, Western blotting, quantitative real‐time PCR and ELISA assays revealed that ROS‐mediated pyroptosis and autophagy contributed to CRIZO‐induced hepatic injury. Based on the role of ROS in CRIZO‐induced hepatotoxicity, magnesium isoglycyrrhizinate (MgIG) was used as an intervention drug. MgIG activated the Nrf2/HO‐1 signalling pathway and reduced ROS level. Additionally, MgIG suppressed hepatic inflammation by inhibiting NF‐κB activity, thereby reducing CRIZO‐induced hepatotoxicity. In conclusion, CRIZO promoted autophagy activation and pyroptosis via the accumulation of ROS in HL‐7702 cells. MgIG exerts therapeutic effects on CRIZO‐induced hepatotoxicity by decreasing the level of ROS.

Magnesium Isoglycyrrhizinate Ameliorates Concanavalin A-Induced Liver Injury by Inhibiting Autophagy

Background and Aims: Acute liver failure (ALF) is a type of liver injury that is caused by multiple factors and leads to severe liver dysfunction; however, current treatments for ALF are insufficient. Magnesium isoglycyrrhizinate (MgIG), a novel glycyrrhizin extracted from the traditional Chinese medicine licorice, has a significant protective effect against concanavalin A (ConA)-induced liver injury, but its underlying therapeutic mechanism is unclear. Hence, this study aims to explore the potential therapeutic mechanism of MgIG against ConA-induced immune liver injury. Methods: ConA (20 mg/kg, i. v.) was administered for 12 h to construct an immune liver injury model, and the treatment group was given MgIG (30 mg/kg, i. p.) injection 1 h in advance. Lethality, liver injury, cytokine levels, and hepatocyte death were evaluated. The level of autophagy was evaluated by electron microscopy, RT-PCR and western blotting, and hepatocyte death was assessed in vitro by flow cytometry. Results: MgIG significantly increased the survival rate of mice and ameliorated severe liver injury mediated by ConA. The decrease in the number of autophagosomes, downregulation of LC3b expression and upregulation of p62 expression indicated that MgIG significantly inhibited ConA-induced autophagy in the liver. Reactivation of autophagy by rapamycin (RAPA) reversed the protective effect of MgIG against ConA-induced liver injury. Compared with MgIG treatment, activation of autophagy by RAPA also promoted the expression of liver inflammation markers (IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, CXCL-1, CXCL-2, CXCL-10, etc.) and hepatocyte death. In vitro experiments also showed that MgIG reduced ConA-induced hepatocyte death but did not decrease hepatocyte apoptosis by inhibiting autophagy. Conclusion: MgIG significantly ameliorated ConA-induced immune liver injury in mice by inhibiting autophagy. This study provides theoretical support for the ability of MgIG to protect against liver injury in clinical practice.

Magnesium isoglycyrrhizinate prevents cadmium-induced activation of JNK and apoptotic hepatocyte death by reversing ROS-inactivated PP2A

OBJECTIVES

Cadmium (Cd) induces reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated hepatocyte apoptosis and consequential liver disorders. This study aimed to investigate the effect of magnesium isoglycyrrhizinate (MgIG) on Cd-induced hepatotoxicity.

METHODS

L02 and AML-12 cells were used to study MgIG hepatoprotective effects. Cd-evoked apoptosis, ROS and protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A)/c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) cascade disruption were analysed by cell viability assay, 6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) and TdT-mediated dUTP Nick-End Labeling (TUNEL) staining, ROS imaging and Western blotting. Pharmacological and genetic approaches were used to explore the mechanisms.

KEY FINDINGS

We show that MgIG attenuated Cd-evoked hepatocyte apoptosis by blocking JNK pathway. Pre-treatment with SP600125 or ectopic expression of dominant-negative c-Jun enhanced MgIG's anti-apoptotic effects. Further investigation found that MgIG rescued Cd-inactivated PP2A. Inhibition of PP2A activity by okadaic acid attenuated the MgIG's inhibition of the Cd-stimulated JNK pathway and apoptosis; in contrast, overexpression of PP2A strengthened the MgIG effects. In addition, MgIG blocked Cd-induced ROS generation. Eliminating ROS by N-acetyl-l-cysteine abrogated Cd-induced PP2A-JNK pathway disruption and concurrently reinforced MgIG-conferred protective effects, which could be further slightly strengthened by PP2A overexpression.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings indicate that MgIG is a promising hepatoprotective agent for the prevention of Cd-induced hepatic injury by mitigating ROS-inactivated PP2A, thus preventing JNK activation and hepatocyte apoptosis.

Exploring the efficacy and safety of polyene phosphatidylcholine for treatment of drug-induced liver injury using the Roussel Uclaf causality assessment method: a propensity score matching comparison

Objective In China, polyene phosphatidylcholine (PPC) is widely used to treat alanine aminotransferase (ALT) elevation associated with various liver diseases. Here, we assessed the efficacy and safety of PPC in treating drug-induced liver injury (DILI).Methods Data from a multicenter retrospective cohort study (DILI-R) were analyzed to compare PPC and magnesium isoglycyrrhizinate (MgIG) for treatment of DILI. We used the Roussel Uclaf causality assessment method (RUCAM) to evaluate patients with DILI. Patients with RUCAM scores ≥6 were included in the study, while those with RUCAM scores <6 were further evaluated by a panel of hepatologists. The primary outcome was the proportion of patients with ALT normalization at discharge. Propensity score matching was used to identify 183 matched pairs of patients (366 patients in total) from 25,927 patients with DILI.Results Among the DILI patients, 64 of 183 (34.97%) achieved normal ALT levels after treatment in both the PPC and the MgIG groups.Conclusion There were no significant differences in safety biomarkers including serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, white blood cells, platelets, hemoglobin, and albumin between patients treated with PPC or MgIG. The safety and efficacy of these two agents for treatment of DILI were comparable.

Magnesium Isoglycyrrhizinate Reduces Hepatic Lipotoxicity through Regulating Metabolic Abnormalities

The excessive accumulation of lipids in hepatocytes induces a type of cytotoxicity called hepatic lipotoxicity, which is a fundamental contributor to liver metabolic diseases (such as NAFLD). Magnesium isoglycyrrhizinate (MGIG), a magnesium salt of the stereoisomer of natural glycyrrhizic acid, is widely used as a safe and effective liver protectant. However, the mechanism by which MGIG protects against NAFLD remains unknown. Based on the significant correlation between NAFLD and the reprogramming of liver metabolism, we aimed to explore the beneficial effects of MGIG from a metabolic viewpoint in this paper. We treated HepaRG cells with palmitic acid (PA, a saturated fatty acid of C16:0) to induce lipotoxicity and then evaluated the antagonistic effect of MGIG on lipotoxicity by investigating the cell survival rate, DNA proliferation rate, organelle damage, and endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS). Metabolomics, lipidomics, and isotope tracing were used to investigate changes in the metabolite profile, lipid profile, and lipid flux in HepaRG cells under different intervention conditions. The results showed that MGIG can indeed protect hepatocytes against PA-induced cytotoxicity and ERS. In response to the metabolic abnormality of lipotoxicity, MGIG curtailed the metabolic activation of lipids induced by PA. The content of total lipids and saturated lipids containing C16:0 chains increased significantly after PA stimulation and then decreased significantly or even returned to normal levels after MGIG intervention. Lipidomic data show that glycerides and glycerophospholipids were the two most affected lipids. For excessive lipid accumulation in hepatocytes, MGIG can downregulate the expression of the metabolic enzymes (GPATs and DAGTs) involved in triglyceride biosynthesis. In conclusion, MGIG has a positive regulatory effect on the metabolic disorders that occur in hepatocytes under lipotoxicity, and the main mechanisms of this effect are in lipid metabolism, including reducing the total lipid content, reducing lipid saturation, inhibiting glyceride and glycerophospholipid metabolism, and downregulating the expression of metabolic enzymes in lipid synthesis.

Magnesium Isoglycyrrhizinate Alleviates Arsenic Trioxide-Induced Cardiotoxicity: Contribution of Nrf2 and TLR4/NF-κB Signaling Pathway

PURPOSE

Magnesium isoglycyrrhizinate (MgIG), a single stereoisomer magnesium salt of glycyrrhizic acid, has beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system through anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidation, and anti-apoptotic actions. However, MgIG has not been shown to provide protection against cardiotoxicity induced by arsenic trioxide (ATO). This study aims to demonstrate the protection of MgIG against ATO-induced cardiac toxicity in mice and to investigate the underlying mechanism.

METHODS

A mouse cardiotoxicity model was established by administering 5 mg/kg ATO for 7 days. MgIG used in conjunction with the ATO to assess its cardioprotection.

RESULTS

MgIG administration could significantly reduce reactive oxygen species generation and the changes in tissue morphology. Also, MgIG administration increased the activity of antioxidase, such as superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase, and reduced malondialdehyde content and pro-inflammatory cytokine levels. Western blotting showed decreased expression of Bcl-2 associated X protein and Caspase-3, with increased expression of B-cell lymphoma 2. Importantly, MgIG administration increased nuclear factor-erythroid-2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) expression, while the expressions of nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) and toll-like receptor-4 (TLR4) were significantly decreased.

CONCLUSION

Our data showed that MgIG alleviates ATO-induced cardiotoxicity, which is associated to the anti-inflammation, anti-oxidation, and anti-apoptosis action, potentially through activation of the Nrf2 pathway and suppression of the TLR4/NF-κB pathway.

Magnesium Isoglycyrrhizinate Induces an Inhibitory Effect on Progression and Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition of Laryngeal Cancer via the NF-κB/Twist Signaling

Background

Magnesium isoglycyrrhizinate (MI) was extracted from roots of the plant Glycyrrhiza glabra, which displays multiple pharmacological activities such as anti-inflammation, anti-apoptosis, and anti-tumor. Here, we aimed to investigate the effect of MI on the progression and epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) of laryngeal cancer.

Methods

Forty laryngeal cancer clinical samples were used. The role of MI in the proliferation of laryngeal cancer cells was assessed by MTT assay, Edu assay and colony formation assay. The function of MI in the migration and invasion of laryngeal cancer cells was tested by transwell assays. The effect of MI on apoptosis of laryngeal cancer cells was determined by cell apoptosis assay. The impact of MI on tumor growth in vivo was analyzed by tumorigenicity analysis using Balb/c nude mice. qPCR and Western blot analysis were performed to measure the expression levels of gene and protein, respectively.

Results

We identified that EMT-related transcription factor Twist was significantly elevated in the laryngeal cancer tissues. The expression of Twist was also enhanced in the human laryngeal carcinoma HEP-2 cells compared with that in the primary laryngeal epithelial cells. The high expression of Twist was remarkably correlated with poor overall survival of patients with laryngeal cancer. Meanwhile, our data revealed that MI reduced cell proliferation, migration and invasion and enhanced apoptosis of laryngeal cancer cells in vitro. Moreover, MI decreased transcriptional activation and the expression levels of NF-κB and Twist, and alleviated EMT in vitro and in vivo. MI remarkably inhibited tumor growth and EMT of laryngeal cancer cells in vivo.

Conclusion

MI restrains the progression of laryngeal cancer and induces an inhibitory effect on EMT in laryngeal cancer by modulating the NF-κB/Twist signaling. Our finding provides new insights into the mechanism by which MI inhibits laryngeal carcinoma development, enriching the understanding of the anti-tumor function of MI.

Efficacy and safety of magnesium isoglycyrrhizinate injection in patients with acute drug-induced liver injury: A phase II trial

BACKGROUND

Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) is the most common reason for a drug to be withdrawn from the market. Apart from stopping the offending drug, no regimens are available for treating idiosyncratic DILI in clinical practice.

METHODS

We carried out a randomized, double-blind, multidoses, active drug controlled, multicentre phase II trial to assess the safety and efficacy of the study drug, magnesium isoglycyrrhizinate (MgIG), as compared to tiopronin, a standard therapy for DILI in China. The primary outcome was the proportion of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) normalization at week 4 after study drug administration. Logistic regression was used to examine the odds of ALT normalization between low dose (Group A) and high dose (Group B) vs active control (Group C).

RESULTS

One hundred and seventy-four eligible subjects were randomized and enrolled into three groups: 59 in group A, 56 in group B and 59 in group C. It was shown that group A and group B lowered ALT level even at early stage of study drug administration; when compared with Group C (61.02%), the proportions of ALT normalization at week 4 were significantly greater in Group A (84.75%, P = .0029) and Group B (85.71%, P = .0037) respectively. The results from the univariate logistic model showed that the odds of ALT normalized among subjects in Group A were about 3.6 times greater (OR = 3.55, 95% CI: 1.47-8.57, P = .0049) than subjects in Group C. Similar effect was observed among subjects in Group B (OR = 3.83, 95% CI: 1.54-9.55, P = .0039).

CONCLUSIONS

This trial provided preliminary evidence that MgIG is an effective and safe treatment for patients with acute DILI.

Magnesium isoglycyrrhizinate ameliorates high fructose-induced liver fibrosis in rat by increasing miR-375-3p to suppress JAK2/STAT3 pathway and TGF-β1/Smad signaling

Increasing evidence has demonstrated that excessive fructose intake induces liver fibrosis. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) driven by transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1)/mothers against decapentaplegic homolog (Smad) signaling activation promotes the occurrence and development of liver fibrosis. Magnesium isoglycyrrhizinate is clinically used as a hepatoprotective agent to treat liver fibrosis, but its underlying molecular mechanism has not been identified. Using a rat model, we found that high fructose intake reduced microRNA (miR)-375-3p expression and activated the janus-activating kinase 2 (JAK2)/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) cascade and TGF-β1/Smad signaling, which is consistent with the EMT and liver fibrosis. To further verify these observations, BRL-3A cells and/or primary rat hepatocytes were exposed to high fructose and/or transfected with a miR-375-3p mimic or inhibitor or treated with a JAK2 inhibitor, and we found that the low expression of miR-375-3p could induce the JAK2/STAT3 pathway to activate TGF-β1/Smad signaling and promote the EMT. Magnesium isoglycyrrhizinate was found to ameliorate high fructose-induced EMT and liver fibrosis in rats. More importantly, magnesium isoglycyrrhizinate increased miR-375-3p expression to suppress the JAK2/STAT3 pathway and TGF-β1/Smad signaling in these animal and cell models. This study provides evidence showing that magnesium isoglycyrrhizinate attenuates liver fibrosis associated with a high fructose diet.

Protective Effects of Magnesium Glycyrrhizinate on Methotrexate-Induced Hepatotoxicity and Intestinal Toxicity May Be by Reducing COX-2

Magnesium isoglycyrrhizinate (MgIG), which has been widely employed to treat chronic hepatitis, is synthesized from 18-β glycyrrhizic acid, a main component of traditional Chinese medicine Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch. Although the protective effects of MgIG on methotrexate (MTX)-induced liver toxicity have been well-documented, the underlying mechanism remains elusive. MTX was initially used to treat pediatric acute leukemia, and has been widely applied to psoriasis therapy. However, its clinical applications are limited due to hepatotoxicity and intestinal toxicity. Herein, prophylactic administration of MgIG (9 and 18 mg/kg/day) significantly reduced the levels of aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase in the serum of rats receiving intravenous injection of MTX (20 mg/kg body weight). MgIG also attenuated MTX-induced hepatic fibrosis. Moreover, it better protected against MTX-induced hepatocyte apoptosis and decreased the serum level of malondialdehyde than reduced glutathione (80 mg/kg/day) did. Interestingly, MTX-induced cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression, intestinal permeability and inflammation were attenuated after MgIG administration. In addition, MgIG (9 and 18 mg/kg) reduced MTX-induced colocalization of zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) and connexin 43 (Cx43) in intestinal villi. In conclusion, MgIG exerted beneficial effects on MTX-induced hepatotoxicity and intestinal damage, as a potentially eligible drug for alleviating the hepatic and intestinal side effects of MTX during chemotherapy.

Magnesium Isoglycyrrhizinate Ameliorates Fibrosis and Disrupts TGF-β-Mediated SMAD Pathway in Activated Hepatic Stellate Cell Line LX2

Liver fibrosis is a histological change often attributed to the activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and the excessive formation of scar tissues in the liver. Advanced stages of the disease frequently lead to cirrhosis. Magnesium isoglycyrrhizinate (MgIG) has been accepted as a hepatoprotective drug with the potential of alleviating inflammatory conditions and thus promote liver recovery from viral- or drug-induced injury. While MgIG has been empirically integrated into the clinics to treat some liver diseases, its anti-fibrotic effect and the associated mechanisms remain poorly characterized. Herein, we demonstrated that 1 mg/ml MgIG attenuated the production of αSMA and collagen-1 in activated HSCs using TGF-β1-induced human HSCs LX2 as the fibrotic cell model. We found that MgIG exerts an inhibitory effect on the TGF-β-SMAD signaling pathway by arresting the binding of downstream transcription factors SMAD2/3 and SMAD4. Furthermore, MgIG was shown to suppress proliferation and induce senescence of activated LX2 cells. Protein expression of p27 and enzymatic activity of senescence-associated β-galactosidase were elevated upon exposure to MgIG. In addition, we observed that exposure of activated LX2 cells to MgIG reduces TGF-β-induced apoptosis. Interestingly, a lower toxicity profile was observed when human fetal hepatocytes LO2 were exposed to the same concentration and duration of the drug, suggesting the specificity of MgIG effect toward activated HSCs. Overall, hepatoprotective concentrations of MgIG is shown to exert a direct effect on liver fibrosis through inhibiting TGF-β-signaling, in which SMAD2/3 pathway could be one of the mechanisms responsible for the fibrotic response, thereby restoring the surviving cells toward a more quiescent phenotype. This provides critical mechanistic insights to support an otherwise empirical therapy.

Magnesium isoglycyrrhizinate shows hepatoprotective effects in a cyclophosphamide-induced model of hepatic injury

The purpose of the current study was to investigate the effect of Magnesium Isoglycyrrhizinate (GM) on cyclophosphamide (CP)-induced hepatic injury in vivo and in vitro. The results demonstrated that GM exerted a protective effect on CP-induced acute liver injury, as evidenced by the alleviations of hepatic pathological damage and serum transaminase activities. Meantime, GM attenuated serum and HepG2 cell supernatant levels of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β, SOD and MDA. Western blot results presented that GM down-regulated the expressions of the microtubule associated protein 1A/1B-light chain 3 (LC3), Lysosome associated membrane protein-1 (LAMP-1), p-phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), p-protein Kinase B(Akt), p-mechanistic target of rapamycin(mTOR), p-ribosomal protein S6 kinase 70 kDa (p70S6K), p-4E binding protein 1(4EBP1), p- inhibitor of NF-κB(IκB)α and p-nuclear factor kappa B(NF-κB)p65 in CP-stimulated hepatic tissue and HepG2 cells. Taken together, our results suggested that GM showed beneficial effect on CP-induced liver injury through NF-κB-mediated inflammation and PI3K/Akt/mTOR/p70S6K/4EBP1 axis-mediated autophagy in vivo and in vitro.

Magnesium isoglycyrrhizinate ameliorates doxorubicin-induced acute cardiac and hepatic toxicity via anti-oxidant and anti-apoptotic mechanisms in mice

The present study investigated the effects and potential mechanisms of action of magnesium isoglycyrrhizinate (MgIG) in doxorubicin (DOX)-treated mice. Histopathological analysis and western blot analysis were conducted in the liver and heart tissues and biochemical analysis of the serum was performed. The results revealed that MgIG (10, 20 and 40 mg/kg/day) could protect the structure and functions of the liver and heart by inhibiting the activities of the myocardial enzymes creatine kinase (CK), CK-MB and lactate dehydrogenase and the hepatic-specific enzymes aspirate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase, increasing the activities of the antioxidants superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase, and inhibiting cellular apoptosis induced by DOX (30 mg/kg). These results demonstrate that inhibiting lipid peroxidation and reducing myocardial and hepatocyte apoptosis may be one of the mechanisms by which MgIG exhibits hepatoprotective and cardioprotective effects in DOX-treated mice.

Multiple effects of magnesium isoglycyrrhizinate on the disposition of docetaxel in docetaxel-induced liver injury

1. Magnesium isoglycyrrhizinate (MgIg) has been extensively used in treating liver injury which is the common adverse reaction of docetaxel (DOC). Due to the narrow therapeutic window, small changes in pharmacokinetic profiles can alter the toxicity and therapeutic efficacy of DOC significantly. The study aimed to explore the effects of MgIg on the disposition of DOC and the potential mechanism in DOC-induced liver injury. 2. Pharmacokinetics and tissues distribution behaviors showed that there was no significant difference between DOC group (DOCG) and MgIg + DOC group (MDOCG). The mRNA and protein levels of cytochrome P450 3A1 (CYP3A1) in liver, intestine, and kidney were significantly upregulated, and the P-glycoprotein (P-gp) was obviously downregulated in MDOCG when compared with DOCG. 3. Immunoglobulin M (IgM), CD₈⁺ were upregulated in DOCG; while in MDOCG, IgM, CD₈⁺ recovered to normal levels and complement C₃; CD₄⁺ were upregulated. 4. MgIg had no significant effects on the disposition of DOC in docetaxel-induced liver injury. Additional, potential drug-drug interaction may happen if MgIg co-administered with antitumor drugs which are the substrates of CYP3A4 or P-gp. Hepatoprotective mechanism of MgIg perhaps was through upregulation of C₃, CD₄⁺ and downregulation of IgM, CD₈⁺.

Magnesium isoglycyrrhizinate protects hepatic L02 cells from ischemia/reperfusion induced injury

Human liver ischemia/reperfusion injury (IRI) is a common and major clinical problem complicating liver surgery and transplantation. The pathogenesis underlying IRI is complex, involving a series of signaling mediators and mechanisms. This study aimed to investigate the effects of Magnesium Isoglycyrrhizinate (MgIG) on the changes of oxidant stress and apoptosis induced by IRI in human hepatic L02 cells. L02 cells with IRI were treated with or without MgIG and mitoKATP (Mitochondrial adenosine triphosphate-dependent potassium) channel modulators. Cell viability was assessed using CCK-8 assay. Cell apoptosis was quantified by flow cytometry. The activity of the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) were measured. Effects of MgIG on the expression of Bax, Bcl-2, Caspase 3, PARP (poly ADP-ribose polymerase), Akt, and ERK in L02 cells with IRI were examined. Our results showed that MgIG treatment significantly reduced the population of apoptotic cells and the expression of apoptosis-related proteins in hepatic L02 cells with IRI. MgIG also counteract ischemia reperfusion induced oxidative challenge as it effectively reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) and increased the activities of SOD and GSH-Px. L02 cells treated with MgIG showed increased expression of p-Akt and p-ERK, indicating that the protective effect of MgIG might be associated with the activation of Akt and ERK pathways. Moreover, the addition of Diazoxide (DE), a mitoKATP channel opener, enhanced the cytoprotective activity of MgIG, while the mitoKATP blocker 5-hydroxydecanoate (5-HD) reduced the cytoprotective activity of MgIG.

Protective effect of magnesium isoglycyrrhizinate on ethanol-induced testicular injuries in mice

Objective

Ethanol treatment induces an increase in oxidative stress. As licorice compounds are potent antioxidants, our aim was to examine whether magnesium isoglycyrrhizinate attenuated lipid peroxidation, the major end-point of oxidative damage resulting from ethanol administration.

Methods

Four groups(18 animals in each group) of male Kunming mice were used. The first group served as control and received 0.4 ml normal saline daily for 18 days orally. The second group of mice was given 56% ethanol at 16 ml/kg body weight per day for 18 days orally. The third group was given the same dose of ethanol and administrated magnesium isoglycyrrhizinate (15 mg/kg.d, i.p.) for 18 days. The fourth group was given the same dose of ethanol and administrated with magnesium isoglycyrrhizinate (45 mg/kg.d, i.p.) for 18 days. Twenty four hours after 9 days or 18 days of treatment the mice were sacrificed using 10% chloral hydrate. Sperm counts and motility in the epididymis were assessed. The lipid peroxidation and antioxidants of testicular mitochondria were also determined. The pathological changes of testicle tissue of the mice were observed by light microscopy.

Results

Magnesium isoglycyrrhizinate effectively prevented the ethanol-induced seminiferous epithelium disorganization and degeneration of Sertoli cells and germ cells. Sperm counts and motility of the magnesium isoglycyrrhizinate treated groups were higher than those of the alcohol treated group, but were lower than those of the control group. The drug exhibited an ability to counteract ethanol induced oxidative challenge as it effectively reduced testicular malondialdehyde (MDA) and increased the activities of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase.

Conclusion

Magnesium isoglycyrrhizinate is able to inhibit the ethanol-induced lipid peroxidation and has a protective effect against testicular oxidative injury.