Hesperidin, a naturally occurring flavonoid presents in fruits and vegetables, has been reported to exert a wide range of pharmacological effects that include antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antihypercholesterolemic, and anticarcinogenic actions. However, the cytoprotection and mechanism of hesperidin to neutralize oxidative stress in human hepatic L02 cells remain unclear. In this work, we assessed the capability of hesperidin to attenuate hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2))-induced cell damage by augmenting the cellular antioxidant defense. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction, Western blot, and enzyme activity assay demonstrated that hesperidin upregulated heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) expression to protect hepatocytes against oxidative stress. In addition, hesperidin also promoted nuclear translocation of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor (Nrf2). What's more, hesperidin exhibited activation of extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2). Besides, ERK1/2 inhibitor significantly inhibited hesperidin-mediated HO-1 upregulation and Nrf2 nuclear translocation. Taken together, the above findings suggested that hesperidin augmented cellular antioxidant defense capacity through the induction of HO-1 via ERK/Nrf2 signaling. Therefore, hesperidin has potential as a therapeutic agent in the treatment of oxidative stress-related hepatocyte injury and liver dysfunctions.

Timosaponin A3, a saponin in Zhimu, elicited hepatotoxicity via oxidative stress. However, the clinical medication of Zhimu has been historically regarded as safe, probably associated with the antioxidants it contains. However, the related information on the in vivo levels of timosaponin A3 and antioxidants remained unclear on Zhimu treatments. Therefore, a combination of the in vitro metabolism, including microbiota-mediated and liver-mediated metabolism, and in vivo pharmacokinetics and hepatic disposition, was conducted for three xanthones (neomangiferin, mangiferin, and norathyriol) and three saponins (timosaponin B2, timosaponin B3, and timosaponin A3) on Zhimu treatments. Consequently, following oral administration of Zhimu decoction to rats, those saponins and xanthones were all observed in the plasma with severe liver first-pass effect, where mangiferin was of the maximum exposure. Despite the ignorable content in the herb, timosaponin A3 elicited sizable hepatic exposure as the microbiota-mediated metabolite of saponins in Zhimu. The similar phenomenon also occurred to norathyriol, the microbiota-mediated metabolite of xanthones. However, the major prototypes in Zhimu were of limited hepatic exposure. We deduced the hepatic collection of norathyriol, maximum circulating levels of mangiferin, and timosaponin B2 and mangiferin interaction may directly or indirectly contribute to the whole anti-oxidation of Zhimu, and then resisted the timosaponin A3-induced hepatotoxicity. Thus, our study exploratively interpreted the discrepancy between herbal safety and timosaponin A3-induced hepatotoxicity. However, given the considerable levels and slow eliminated rate of timosaponin A3 in the liver, more attention should be paid to the safety on the continuous clinical medication of Zhimu in the future.