Preparation of Pueraria lobata Root-Derived Exosome-Like Nanovesicles and Evaluation of Their Effects on Mitigating Alcoholic Intoxication and Promoting Alcohol Metabolism in Mice

Abstract

Wenjin Zhang,1 Qiang Song,1 Xiaofei Bi,1 Wei Cui,1 Chengmei Fang,1 Jianya Gao,1 Jinan Li,1 Xiang Wang,1 Kai Qu,1 Xian Qin,1 Xuan An,2,3 Cheng Zhang,1,3 Xianxiang Zhang,1,3 Fang Yan,4 Guicheng Wu1– 3 1Chongqing Municipality Clinical Research Center for Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases, Chongqing University Three Gorges Hospital, Chongqing, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Hepatology, Chongqing University Three Gorges Hospital, Chongqing, People’s Republic of China; 3School of Medicine, Chongqing University, Chongqing, People’s Republic of China; 4Geriatric Diseases Institute of Chengdu, Department of Geriatrics, Chengdu Fifth People’s Hospital, Chengdu, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Guicheng Wu, Chongqing University Three Gorges Hospital, Xincheng Road 165#, Wanzhou District, Chongqing, 404000, People’s Republic of China, Tel +(86) 58103079, Fax [phone], Email [email protected] Fang Yan, Geriatric Diseases Institute of Chengdu, Department of Geriatrics, Chengdu Fifth People’s Hospital, Mashi Street 33#, Wenjiang District, Chengdu, 611130, People’s Republic of China, Tel/Fax [phone], Email [email protected]: Pueraria lobata (P. lobata), a dual-purpose food and medicine, displays limited efficacy in alcohol detoxification and liver protection, with previous research primarily focused on puerarin in its dried roots. In this study, we investigated the potential effects and mechanisms of fresh P. lobata root-derived exosome-like nanovesicles (P-ELNs) for mitigating alcoholic intoxication, promoting alcohol metabolism effects and protecting the liver in C57BL/6J mice.Methods: We isolated P-ELNs from fresh P. lobata root using differential centrifugation and characterized them via transmission electron microscopy, nanoscale particle sizing, ζ potential analysis, and biochemical assays. In Acute Alcoholism (AAI) mice pre-treated with P-ELNs, we evaluated their effects on the timing and duration of the loss of the righting reflex (LORR), liver alcohol metabolism enzymes activity, liver and serum alcohol content, and ferroptosis-related markers.Results: P-ELNs, enriched in proteins, lipids, and small RNAs, exhibited an ideal size (150.7 ± 82.8 nm) and negative surface charge (− 31 mV). Pre-treatment with 10 mg/(kg.bw) P-ELNs in both male and female mice significantly prolonged ebriety time, shortened sobriety time, enhanced acetaldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) activity while concurrently inhibited alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) activity, and reduced alcohol content in the liver and serum. Notably, P-ELNs demonstrated more efficacy compared to P-ELNs supernatant fluid (abundant puerarin content), suggesting alternative active components beyond puerarin. Additionally, P-ELNs prevented ferroptosis by inhibiting the reduction of glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) and reduced glutathione (GSH), and suppressing acyl-CoA synthetase long-chain family member 4 (ACSL4) elevation, thereby mitigating pathological liver lipid accumulation.Conclusion: P-ELNs exhibit distinct exosomal characteristics and effectively alleviate alcoholic intoxication, improve alcohol metabolism, suppress ferroptosis, and protect the liver from alcoholic injury. Consequently, P-ELNs hold promise as a therapeutic agent for detoxification, sobriety promotion, and prevention of alcoholic liver injury.Keywords: Pueraria lobata root-derived exosome-like nanovesicles, acute alcoholism, loss of the righting reflex, ethanol metabolism, ferroptosis

Keywords

• pueraria lobata root-derived exosome-like nanovesicles
• acute alcoholism
• loss of the righting reflex
• ethanol metabolism
• ferroptosis.