Hepatoprotective and antioxidant effects of the methanolic extract from Halenia elliptica

Aims of study

Halenia elliptica, a medicinal herb of Tibetan origin, was commonly used in folk medicine to treat hepatitis. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the hepatoprotective and antioxidant activity of Halenia elliptica against experimentally induced liver injury.

Materials and methods

The antioxidant property of methanolic extract (ME) of Halenia elliptica was investigated by employing various established in vitro systems. The ME of Halenia elliptica was studied here for its hepatoprotective effects against CCl₄-induced liver toxicity in rats. Activity was measured by monitoring the levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and total bilirubin.

Results

The ME possessed strong antioxidant activity in vitro. The results of CCl₄-induced liver toxicity experiment showed that rats treated with the ME of Halenia elliptica (100 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg), and also the standard treatment, silymarin (50 mg/kg), showed a significant decrease in ALT, AST, ALP, and total bilirubin levels, which were all elevated in the CCl₄ group (p < 0.01). The results observed after administration of 100 mg/kg ME were comparable to those of silymarin at 50 mg/kg (p > 0.05). The ME did not show any mortality at doses up to 2000 g/kg body weight.

Conclusion

These results seem to support the traditional use of Halenia elliptica in pathologies involving hepatotoxicity, and the possible mechanism of this activity may be due to strong free radical-scavenging and antioxidant activities of ME.     

Synergistic effect of ursolic acid and piperine in CCl4 induced hepatotoxicity

BackgroundUrsolic acid (UA) is a potent plant-based hepatoprotective agent having poor bioavailability, which hampers its therapeutic efficacy. The present study tries to overcome this limitation by combining it with piperine (PIP), a proven bioenhancer and hepatoprotective agent.MethodsThe type of interaction (synergism, addition, or antagonism) resulting between UA and PIP was analyzed and quantified by isobologram and combination index analysis. The hepatoprotective activity of UA and PIP was evaluated by measuring the level of hepatic marker enzymes. Pharmacokinetic analysis was carried out to ascertain the improvement of bioavailability.ResultsThe combinations significantly decrease the enzyme levels, which indicate better hepatoprotective activity compared to single drugs. The relative oral bioavailability of UA was increased about tenfold (from AUC_0–t =12.78 ± 2.59 µg/h/ml to 125.15 ± 1.84 µg/h/ml) along with the improvement of plasma concentration and elimination half-life.ConclusionsThe findings indicated that the combination of PIP and UA is an effective strategy in enhancing the bioavailability and hepatoprotective potential of UA.

KEY MESSAGES

• Ursolic acid in a combination with piperine provides a synergistic hepatoprotective effect in carbon tetrachloride induced liver damage in rats.
• Piperine improves the pharmacokinetic properties of ursolic acid when given in combination.
• Piperine improves the relative oral bioavailability of ursolic acid by tenfold when combined together.

     

非酒精性脂肪性肝病的药物治疗进展

非酒精性脂肪性肝病（NAFLD）主要表现为肝实质细胞脂肪变性和脂肪沉积,可在脂肪肝、肝炎基础上进展为肝纤维化和肝硬化,甚至出现肝衰竭或其他并发症。因此有必要在调整生活方式的同时加以药物干预。治疗NAFLD的药物大致分为三类：控制危险因素的药物、利胆保肝药和中药。本文主要就NAFLD的药物治疗作一概述。     

房氏天灸1号对四氯化碳诱导大鼠急性肝损伤的保护作用＊

目的 探讨房氏天灸1号及其联合复方联苯双酯对大鼠急性肝损伤的保护作用及作用机制，为房氏天灸1号的临床应用提供实验依据。方法 50只SD大鼠随机分成正常对照组、肝损伤模型组、复方联苯双酯组、天灸组及天灸联合复方联苯双酯组，通过腹腔注射四氯化碳建立大鼠急性肝损伤模型，天灸及给药48 h后，采血、取肝，计算肝体比，制备肝组织匀浆和肝组织切片，ELISA法检测肝匀浆液中MDA、GSH含量和SOD活力及血清ALT、AST、ALP、IL-6和TNF-α含量，显微镜下观察肝组织病理变化。结果 与正常对照组比较，肝损伤模型大鼠肝体比增大，肝细胞水肿和坏死严重，炎症细胞浸润明显，肝组织匀浆中MDA含量增加、GSH含量和SOD活力降低，血清ALT、AST、ALP及TNF-α和IL-6水平升高（P < 0.05或P < 0.01）；与肝损伤模型组比较，给药组的大鼠肝组织MDA含量降低，GSH含量和SOD活力升高，血清ALT、AST、ALP及TNF-α、IL-6水平降低，尤以天灸联合复方联苯双酯组最为明显。结论 房氏天灸1号对于四氯化碳诱导的大鼠急性肝损伤具有保护作用，与复方联苯双酯联合应用疗效更佳，其作用机制可能与增强机体抗氧化能力、减少TNF-α和IL-6等炎症因子有关。     

Chemical composition and protective effect of Juniperus sabina L. essential oil against CCl4 induced hepatotoxicity

The hepatoprotective activity of the total extract of Juniperus sabina L. against CCl₄ induced toxicity in experimental animals was previously reported and indicated promising results. Essential oil of J. Sabina was prepared by hydrodistillation method. Components of the oil were identified by comparison of GC-MS and retention indexes with reported data. The hepatoprotective effect of the essential oil against CCl₄ induced toxicity was studied using male Wistar rats and silymarin at 10 mg/kg p.o as standard drug. The protective effect was evaluated via serum biochemical parameters such as aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), gamma glutamyltranspeptidase (GGT), and total bilirubin as well as tissue parameters including non-protein sulfhydryl groups (NP-SH), malonaldehyde (MDA) and total protein (TP). Histopathological study was applied on the liver tissues using Mayer’s hematoxylin stain, Periodic Acid Schiff – Hematoxylin (PAS-H) and Masson trichrome technique on light microscope. Electron microscope images were also obtained for more detailed study.     

五味子保肝作用的研究进展

五味子是常用的传统滋补类中药,具有宁心安神的功效,主治心神失养之虚烦心悸,失眠多梦等症状。近年来,国内外关于五味子在保肝方面的药理作用进行了大量的研究,本文对五味子在此方面的研究进行了总结阐述,为临床研究开发保肝新药提供了理论参考。     

火麻仁油对高脂血症大鼠血脂代谢及保肝作用研究

目的:探讨火麻仁油对高脂血症大鼠血脂代谢及肝脏的保护作用。方法:采用高脂饲料建立大鼠高脂血症模型,随机分为正常对照组、高脂模型组、火麻仁油高剂量组1.5 g·kg-1、中剂量组1.0 g·kg-1、低剂量组0.5 g·kg-1和血脂康阳性对照组(0.5 g·kg-1),连续给药35 d,观察不同剂量火麻仁油对高脂血症大鼠血清中总胆固醇(TC)、三酰甘油(TG)、高密度脂蛋白胆固醇(HDL-C)、低密度脂蛋白胆固醇(LDL-C)、超氧化物岐化酶(SOD)、丙二醛(MDA)、丙氨酸氨基转移酶(ALT)、门冬氨酸氨基转移酶(AST)及肝脏中超氧化物岐化酶(SOD)和丙二醛(MDA)等生化指标的影响。结果:与模型组比较,火麻仁油各剂量组均能明显降低高脂血症模型大鼠血清中TC、TG、ALT的含量以及动脉粥样硬化指数(P<0.05或P<0.01)、并显著提高血清和肝脏中SOD酶活性(P<0.01);中、高剂量可以显著性地降低高脂血症模型大鼠血清AST、MDA含量(P<0.01);高剂量可以显著降低血清LDL-C以及肝脏中MDA含量(P<0.01)。结论:火麻仁油对高脂血症大鼠具有良好的降血脂的作用,而且具有较好的肝脏保护作用,其作用机制可能与改善脂质代谢和增强机体抗氧化能力有关。     

Eleusine indica L. possesses antioxidant activity and precludes carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-mediated oxidative hepatic damage in rats

Objectives

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the ability of aqueous extract of Eleusineindica to protect against carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄)-induced hepatic injury in rats.

Methods

The antioxidant activity of E. indica was evaluated using the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging assay. The total phenolic content of E. indica was also determined. Biochemical parameters [e.g. alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH), catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, glutathione S-transferase and quinone reductase] were used to evaluate hepatic damage in animals pretreated with E. indica and intoxicated with CCl₄. CCl₄-mediated hepatic damage was also evaluated by histopathologically.

Results

E. indica extract was able to reduce the stable DPPH level in a dose-dependent manner. The half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) value was 2350 μg/ml. Total phenolic content was found to be 14.9 ± 0.002 mg/g total phenolic expressed as gallic acid equivalent per gram of extract. Groups pretreated with E. indica showed significantly increased activity of antioxidant enzymes compared to the CCl₄-intoxicated group (p < 0.05). The increased levels of serum ALT and AST were significantly prevented by E. indica pretreatment (p < 0.05). The extent of MDA formation due to lipid peroxidation was significantly reduced (p < 0.05), and reduced GSH was significantly increased in a dose-dependently manner (p < 0.05) in the E. indica-pretreated groups as compared to the CCl₄-intoxicated group. The protective effect of E. indica was further evident through decreased histopathological alterations in the liver.

Conclusion

The results of our study indicate that the hepatoprotective effects of E. indica might be ascribable to its antioxidant and free radical scavenging property.     

Cubosomes as a Potential Oral Drug Delivery System for Enhancing the Hepatoprotective Effect of Coenzyme Q10

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) acts as an antioxidant that protects the cells by preventing lipid peroxidation. Owing to its low solubility, CoQ10 has shown poor delivery properties and poor bioavailability. The aim of this study is to develop CoQ10 loaded cubosomes in order to enhance its oral delivery and hepatoprotective activity. Cubosomes are cubic nanostructured systems resulting from the colloidal dispersion of cubic liquid crystalline structure in water. CoQ10 loaded cubosomes were prepared using poloxamer 407 and glyceryl monooleate at three weight ratios (1:2.5, 1:5 and 1:7.5) and were further characterized. They were investigated for their hepatoprotective effect in thioacetamide (TAA) induced hepatotoxicity in Wistar rats. The developed CoQ10 cubosomes exhibited moderate to high entrapment efficiency percentages (44.69–75.96%), nanometric dimensions (132.4–223.2 nm), and negatively charged zeta potential values (<-21.3). In-vitro release profiles showed a sustained release of CoQ10 from the developed cubosomes up to 48 h. In-vivo study revealed an improved hepatoprotective effect of CoQ10 cubosomes via reducing liver enzymes, nitric oxide and malondialdehyde as well as elevating phosphoinositide 3-kinase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase, compared to plain drug. These results were in good agreement with histopathological investigations. Consequently, the developed cubosomes showed a potential effect in enhancing the hepatoprotective activity of CoQ10.