Protective Effects of Flavonoids from Pteridium aquilinum on CCl_(4)-induced Acute Liver Injury in Mice

[Objectives]To explore the protective effects of flavonoids from Pteridium aquilinum(PAFL)on carbon tetracholoride(CCl_(4))-induced acute liver injury in mice and its potential mechanism.[Methods]All mice were randomly divided into four groups(n=10 in each),normal group,CCl_(4)group,CCl_(4)+PAFL groups[treated with PAFL(50 or 200 mg/kg)].Animal treatment was continued for 7 consecutive days.The blood was collected after injection of CCl_(4)for 24 h,and the liver tissue was removed from the mice and stored at-80℃.[Results]The PAFL(50 and 200 mg/kg)significantly inhibited the increase of aspartate aminotransferase(AST)and alanine aminotransferase(ALT)levels in serum caused by CCl_(4)treatment.PAFL administration not only increased the activity of antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase(SOD),Glutathione(GSH)and catalase(CAT)in mice,but also reduced the level of malondialdehyde(MDA).Meanwhile,PAFL administration decreased the expression of nuclear factor-kappa B(NF-κB)and Cyclooxygenase-2(COX-2)proteins and inhibited the release of pro-inflammatory factors tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α),interleukin-1β(IL-1β)and interleukin 6(IL-6).In addition,PAFL(200 mg/kg)treatment down-regulated extracellular regulated protein kinases(ERK)and c-Jun N-terminal kinase(JNK)protein levels in liver tissue.[Conclusions]These findings clearly indicate that the protective effects of PAFL on CCl_(4)-induced acute liver injury is related to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity,which may be mediated by NF-κB and MAPKs signaling pathways.