Effects of Free Phenolics from Lycopus lucidus Turcz. on Apoptosis, Cell Cycle and Inflammatory Factors in CCl4 Induced Hepatocyte Injury

Abstract

To investigate the effects of free phenolics from Lycopus lucidus Turcz. on apoptosis, cell cycle and inflammatory factors in CCl4 induced hepatocyte injury by using a in vitro experiment. Apoptosis and the distribution of cell cycle was analyzed by flow cytometry. The contents of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-8 (IL-8) and the activation of Caspase-3 were measured by kits. The protein expression levels of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were also detected by immunohistochemistry. The results showed that compared with the model group, the free phenolics from Lycopus lucidus Turcz. could significantly reduce the apoptosis induced by CCl4 and affect the distribution of cell cycle. In addition, the free phenolics from Lycopus lucidus Turcz. decreased the contents of TNF-α and IL-8 and blocked the activation of Caspase-3 (P<0.05). The free phenolics from Lycopus lucidus Turcz. also decreased the expression of COX-2, IL-6 and iNOS (P<0.05). The free phenolics from Lycopus lucidus Turcz. could protect the CCl4 induced hepatocyte injury through inhibiting apoptosis, affecting cell cycle distribution and inhibiting inflammatory reaction.

Keywords

• lycopus lucidus turcz.
• free phenolics
• carbon tetrachloride
• hepatocyte injury
• cell cycle
• inflammatory factors