Effects of a combination of Japanese Raisin Tree Seed and Flower of Lobed Kudzuvine against acute alcohol-induced liver injury in mice

Objective:The Flower of Lobed Kudzuvine[Pueraria lobata(Willd.)Ohwi;Gehua in Chinese;GH]and Japanese Raisin Tree Seed(Hovenia dulcis Thunnb.;Zhijuzi in Chinese;ZJZ)are herbs that have been used in China for the treatment of alcohol intoxication and liver diseases.We aimed to evaluate the hepatoprotective potential of a combination of these in mice with acute alcohol-induced liver injury,and to elucidate the mechanisms involved.Methods:Male ICR mice were randomly allocated to six groups:a control group,an alcohol-administered group,and groups that were administered alcohol and one of silibinin,the GH,the ZJZ or a GH-ZJZ combination(at a ratio of 2:1).Animals were orally administered 56%alcohol(Er Guo-tou white spirit,0.12 mL/10 g/d)for 10 days and at the end of this period,hepatic biochemical indicators,antioxidant parameters,alcohol metabolic enzymes,and histopathologic changes were evaluated.Moreover,the expression of the signaling molecules KEAP1,NRF2,and AQP9 were measured by qRT-PCR and western blotting.Results:Compared with the model group,GH-ZJZ(2:1)had lower serum ALT(12.15±0.39,P紏.003),AST(104.07±1.03,P紏.001),and ALP(148.09±2.55,P紏.010)activities,and lower TC(1.97±0.05,P紏.001)and TG(1.54±0.07,P?.002)concentrations.GH-ZJZ(2:1)also significantly increased the hepatic activities of SOD and GSH(4.24±0.25 and 1.57±0.06,respectively;both P<.01),reduced the ROS and MDA concentrations(97.50±3.00 and 2.39±0.19,respectively;both P<.01),and upregulated Nrf2 expression(P<.01).GH-ZJZ(2:1)significantly reduced the expression of KEAP1 and AQP9 in the liver,compared with alcohol-administered mice(P<.01).Importantly,the GH-ZJZ combination caused a more marked improvement in acute liver injury than GH or ZJZ alone.Conclusion:We have demonstrated protective effects of GH-ZJZ(2:1)against acute alcohol-induced hepatic injury,and shown that these effects may be associated with improvements in lipid and alcohol metabolism,antioxidant capacity,and lipid peroxidation.