Hepatoprotective Activity of the Total Saponins from Actinidia valvata Dunn Root against Carbon Tetrachloride-Induced Liver Damage in Mice

الملخص EN

The protective activity of the total saponins from Actinidia valvata Dunn root (TSAV) was studied against carbon-tetrachloride- (CCl4-) induced acute liver injury in mice.

Mice were orally administered TSAV (50, 100, and 200 mg/kg) for five days and then given CCl4.

TSAV pretreatment significantly prevented the CCl4-induced hepatic damage as indicated by the serum marker enzymes (AST, ALT, and ALP).

Parallel to these changes, TSAV also prevented CCl4-induced oxidative stress by inhibiting lipid peroxidation (MDA) and restoring the levels of antioxidant enzymes (SOD, CAT, GR, and GPX), GSH and GSSG.

In addition, TSAV attenuated the serum TNF-α and IL-6 levels and inhibited the serum iNOS and NO levels.

Liver histopathology indicated that TSAV alleviated CCl4-induced inflammatory infiltration and focal necrosis.

TSAV (200 mg/kg) also significantly decreased Bak, Bax mRNA and Fas, FasL, p53, and NF-κB p65 protein expressions and increased Bcl-2 mRNA and protein expressions.

Meanwhile, TSAV significantly downregulated caspase-3 and caspase-8 activities and prevented CCl4-induced hepatic cell apoptosis.

In addition, TSAV exhibited antioxidant activity through scavenging hydroxyl and DPPH free radicals in vitro.

These results indicated that TSAV could protect mice against CCl4-induced acute liver damage possibly through antioxidant, anti-inflammatory activities and regulating apoptotic-related genes.