Hepatoprotective efficiency of methanol extract of red algae against chromium-induced oxidative damage in Wistar rats

Objective:To investigate the hepatoprotective activity of red algae Portieria hornemannii(Lyngbye)Silva(P.hornemannii)and Spyridia fusiformis Boergesen(S.fusiformis)by using the chromium treated rat liver as the animal model.Methods:The extract of red algae at a dosage of 0.200 g/kg of whole body weight was orally administrated to Cr(VI)intoxicated rats for 28 consecutive days.The effect of drug in rats was evaluated by comparing the degree of the production of enzymes responsible for antioxidant activity such lipid peroxidase,superoxide dismutase,catalase and reduced glutathione with Cr(VI)analogs in the absence of any secondary treatment.The overall damage of liver was detected by measuring serum enzymes such as aspartate amino transferase and alanine aminotransferase activities which released into the blood from the damaged cells.Results:It was observed that these enzyme levels were noticed in the animals treated with methanol extracts of red algae(200 mg/kg)through preventing the leakage of the above enzymes into the blood.The hepatoprotection obtained using LIV 52(standard reference drug)appeared relatively higher.The antihepatotoxic potential of red algae P.hornemannii and S.fusiformis might be due to their antioxidative and membrane stabilizing activities.Conclusions:Our results indicated that the extract of P.hornemannii and S.fusiformis obtained from methanol could be a promising hepatoprotective agent against chromium(VI)-induced liver damage.

Dangfei Liganning Capsules (当飞利肝宁胶囊) Attenuate the Susceptibility of Rat Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver to Carbon Tetrachloride Toxicity

Objective: To test whether nonalcoholic hepatic steatosis sensitizes carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced liver injury, and to assess the therapeutic effect of Chinese medicine extracts of Dangfei Liganning capsules (当飞利肝宁胶囊) and their potential underlying mechanisms. Methods: Male Wistar rats were fed a high-fat diet to induce nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) or a normal diet (N). Eight weeks later, a nonlethal dose of CCl4 was applied intraperitoneally. From the start, HF-CCl4 rats were administered daily Dangyao extracts (D), Dangfei Liganning capsules (DF), or Diammonium Glycyrrhizinate (G) intragastrically. Rats were sacrificed 48 h after CCl4 administration. In addition to serum biochemistry, liver histopathology was observed using hematoxylin-eosin (HE) and oil red O staining, and hepatic levels of triglyceride (TG), malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), caspase-3 activation and cytochrome P450 (CYP2E1) expression were assessed. Results: There was almost no response to the nonlethal dose of CCl4 in the N control group. However, the HF group demonstrated massive steatosis, and elevated levels of serum ALT and AST, liver MDA, CYP2E1, and caspase-3 activation, whereas the levels of GSH and SOD were significantly decreased. All indexes assessed were dramatically worse in the HF-CCl4 group compared to the HF group, in addition to the more severe steatosis, hepatocyte ballooning, and inflammatory infiltration apparent in the centrilobular area. The medicines we tested affected the pathological changes in HF-CCl4 rats to differing degrees: DF and G led to improvements in all of the above examined indexes, including an obvious improvement in histopathology, and DF improved serum ALT and MDA levels more markedly than G, whereas D extracts produced only mild liver injury attenuation. Conclusion: Liver with NAFLD is more sensitive to hepatotoxicity; furthermore, the disrupted balance of oxidative stress and anti-oxidant defense contributes to the underlying mechanisms. Dangfei Liganning capsules potentially decrease this toxic susceptibility and alleviate liver injury in non-alcoholic fatty liver.