Hepatoprotective effects of a traditional Chinese medicine formula against carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatotoxicity in vivo and in vitro

Xia Ren; Lan-Ting Xin; Meng-Qi Zhang; Qing Zhao; Shi-Yun Yue; Kai-Xian Chen; Yue-Wei Guo; Chang-Lun Shao; Chang-Yun Wang

Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy (Sep 2019)

Hepatoprotective effects of a traditional Chinese medicine formula against carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatotoxicity in vivo and in vitro

Xia Ren,
Lan-Ting Xin,
Meng-Qi Zhang,
Qing Zhao,
Shi-Yun Yue,
Kai-Xian Chen,
Yue-Wei Guo,
Chang-Lun Shao,
Chang-Yun Wang

Affiliations

Xia Ren: Key Laboratory of Marine Drugs, The Ministry of Education of China, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266237, China; Laboratory for Marine Drugs and Bioproducts of Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266237, China
Lan-Ting Xin: Key Laboratory of Marine Drugs, The Ministry of Education of China, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266237, China; Laboratory for Marine Drugs and Bioproducts of Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266237, China
Meng-Qi Zhang: Key Laboratory of Marine Drugs, The Ministry of Education of China, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266237, China; Laboratory for Marine Drugs and Bioproducts of Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266237, China
Qing Zhao: Key Laboratory of Marine Drugs, The Ministry of Education of China, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266237, China; Laboratory for Marine Drugs and Bioproducts of Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266237, China
Shi-Yun Yue: Key Laboratory of Marine Drugs, The Ministry of Education of China, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266237, China; Laboratory for Marine Drugs and Bioproducts of Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266237, China
Kai-Xian Chen: Open Studio for Druggability Research of Marine Natural Products, Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266237, China; State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
Yue-Wei Guo: Open Studio for Druggability Research of Marine Natural Products, Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266237, China; State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
Chang-Lun Shao: Key Laboratory of Marine Drugs, The Ministry of Education of China, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266237, China; Laboratory for Marine Drugs and Bioproducts of Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266237, China; Correspondence author at: Key Laboratory of Marine Drugs, The Ministry of Education of China, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, 5 Yushan Road, Qingdao, 266237, China.
Chang-Yun Wang: Key Laboratory of Marine Drugs, The Ministry of Education of China, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266237, China; Laboratory for Marine Drugs and Bioproducts of Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266237, China; Correspondence author at: Key Laboratory of Marine Drugs, The Ministry of Education of China, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, 5 Yushan Road, Qingdao, 266237, China.

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 117

Abstract

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Le-Cao-Shi (LCS), a formula of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), has been used as a folk medicine for protection and treatment of liver injury. However, scientific evidences on its hepatoprotective effects have not been investigated. In this study, hepatoprotective activities of LCS water extracts (LCS-W) and ethanol extracts (LCS-E) against carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced liver damage were investigated in vivo and in vitro. In vivo experiments, pretreatment of LCS-W and LCS-E to rats significantly declined the levels of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and markedly increased the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and ameliorated the level of malondialdehyde (MDA) induced by CCl4 treatment. Especially, LCS-WM group significantly prevented the elevation of lipid peroxidation level induced by CCl4, with the MDA level closed to that of normal group. Histopathological examinations further confirmed that LCS-W and LCS-E could protect the liver cells from CCl4-induced damage. In addition, immunohistochemically analysis revealed that LCS-W could significantly down-regulated the hepatic protein expression of necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β). Correspondingly, LCS-W and LCS-E were observed to promote cell viability and decline the levels of ALT, AST, and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in vitro. It could be concluded that LCS can exert a protective effect against CCl4-induced hepatotoxicity, which might be a potential therapeutic prescription for preventing or treating liver injury. Notably, LCS-W displayed better hepatoprotective activity against CCl4-induced injury than that of LCS-E, suggesting that LCS extracted by water decoction has good development prospects. Our results contribute towards the validation of the traditional use of LCS in the treatment of liver disorders.

Published in Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy

ISSN: 0753-3322 (Print); 1950-6007 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: France
LCC subjects: Medicine: Therapeutics. Pharmacology
Website: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/biomedicine-and-pharmacotherapy

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