Hepatoprotective Effect of Pinoresinol on Carbon Tetrachloride–Induced Hepatic Damage in Mice

Abstract

Abstract. Forsythiae Fructus is known to have diuretic, anti-bacterial, and anti-inflammatory activities. This study examined the hepatoprotective effects of pinoresinol, a lignan isolated from Forsythiae Fructus, against carbon tetrachloride (CCl 4 )-induced liver injury. Mice were treated intraperitoneally with vehicle or pinoresinol (25, 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg) 30 min before and 2 h after CCl 4 (20 μ l/kg) injection. In the vehicle-treated CCl 4 group, serum aminotransferase activities were significantly increased 24 h after CCl 4 injection, and these increases were attenuated by pinoresinol at all doses. Hepatic glutathione contents were significantly decreased and lipid peroxidation was increased after CCl 4 treatment. These changes were attenuated by 50 and 100 mg/kg of pinoresinol. The levels of protein and mRNA expression of inflammatory mediators, including tumor necrosis factor-α , inducible nitric oxide synthase, and cyclooxygenase-2, were significantly increased after CCl 4 injection; and these increases were attenuated by pinoresinol. Nuclear translocation of nuclear factor-κ B (NF-κ B) and phosphorylation of c-Jun, one of the components of activating protein 1 (AP-1), were inhibited by pinoresinol. Our results suggest that pinoresinol ameliorates CCl 4 -induced acute liver injury, and this protection is likely due to antioxidative activity and down-regulation of inflammatory mediators through inhibition of NF-κ B and AP-1.

In vivo antioxidant effect of aqueous root bark, stem bark and leaves extracts of Vitex doniana in CCl4 induced liver damage rats

“…Both trichloromethyl and its peroxy radical are capable of binding to proteins or lipids, or of abstracting a hydrogen atom from an unsaturated lipid, initiating lipid peroxidation and liver damage. Therefore the increased level of TBARS in the liver tissue of the rats administered CCl 4 may be as a result of the enhanced membrane lipid peroxidation by free radicals generated and failure of antioxidant defense mechanisms to prevent formation of excessive free radicals [23,24] .…”

“…Methods: A total of 60 albino rats (36 induced liver damage and 24 non induced liver damage) were assigned into liver damage and non liver damage groups of 6 rats in a group. The animals in the CCl 4 induced liver damage groups, were induced by intraperitoneal injection with a single dose of CCl 4 (148 mg·ml -1 ·kg -1 body weight) as a 1:1 (v/v) solution in olive oil and were fasted for 36 h before the subsequent treatment with aqueous root bark, stem bark and leaves extracts of V. doniana and vitamin E as standard drug (100 mg/kg body weighy per day) for 21 d, while the animals in the non induced groups were only treated with the daily oral administration of these extracts at the same dose.…”

Assessment of Hepatoprotective Role of Phenolic Extract of Urtica Dioica and Silver Nanoparticles in Male Rat Induced by Carbon Tetra-Chloride

“…Carbon tetrachloride is extensively employed for initiation of liver injury. 3 Carbon tetrachloride has been widely used as a model of toxicity-induced chronic liver injury, progressing to fibrosis and cirrhosis 4,5 . The belief causes of carbon tetrachloride are provoked hepatic destruction in lipid peroxidation and decline action of antioxidant enzymes and accumulation of free radicals.…”

Ameliorative Effects of Methanolic Extract of Ficus exasperata (Vahl.) on Carbon Tetrachloride-Induced Hepatopathy in Albino Rats

“…These vital roles make the liver highly exposed and susceptible to toxic agents, which may result in impairment of its functions thereby affecting diverse homeostatic mechanisms with potentially serious consequences [2]. Liver disease is a worldwide health problem accounting for about 20,000 deaths annually [3] and one major cause of liver disease is industrial exposure to hepatotoxic chemical of which carbon tetrachloride (CCl 4 ) is a major culprit [4]. CCl 4 is a widely used industrial chemical and a potent hepatotoxin.…”