Magnesium isoglycyrrhizinate attenuates D-galactosamine/lipopolysaccharides induced acute liver injury of rat via regulation of the p38-MAPK and NF-κB signaling pathways

Context: Acute hepatic failure involves in serious inflammatory responses and leads to a high mortality. Magnesium isoglycyrrhizinate (MgIG), a magnesium salt of 18-α glycyrrhizic acid (GA) stereoisomer, has been shown anti-inflammatory activity previously.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the protective effects of MgIG, a hepatocyte protective agent, on D-galactosamine and lipopolysaccharide (D-GaIN/LPS)-induced acute liver injury in rats, and meanwhile explore the molecular mechanism.

Materials and methods: Male Sprague–Dawley (SD) rats were injected with D-GaIN/LPS (800?mg/kgBW/10?μg/kgBW) with or without administration of MgIG (225?mg/kg once 6?h after D-GaIN/LPS injection and MgIG 45?mg/kg twice in another 12?h, intraperitoneal injection). Rats were sacrificed 24?h after D-GaIN/LPS injection, the blood and liver samples were collected for future inflammation and hepatotoxicity analyses.

Results: MgIG significantly inhibited D-GaIN/LPS-induced inflammatory cytokines production and hepatotoxicity as indicated by both diagnostic indicators of liver damage aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels] and histopathological analysis. Western blot analysis demonstrated that MgIG significantly decreased p38-mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) activation induced by D-GaIN/LPS.

Conclusion: The results indicated that the protective effects of MgIG on D-GaIN/LPS-induced acute liver injury might be correlated with its capacity to regulate the p38-MAPK and NF-κB signaling pathways.