RESUMO
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the effect of jujube pretreatment on serum levels of AST and ALT, liver pathology, and the expression of cytochrome P4502e1 (CYP2E1) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in the liver tissue of alcoholic liver disease (ALD) mice.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Totally 88 Kunming mice were randomly divided into the control group (n = 28), the model group (n = 32), and the jujube treatment group (n = 28). The animal model was prepared using intragastric alcoholism for mice in the model group and the jujube treatment group, while distilled water was intragastrically given to those in the control group. Extraction of jujube was intragastrically given to mice in the jujube treatment group at week 4, while equal volume of distilled water was intragastrically given to mice in the rest two groups. The therapeutic course lasted for 12 weeks. Serum levels of AST and ALT, liver pathology, and the expression of CYP2E1 and TNF-alpha in the liver tissue of ALD mice were observed after administration of jujube.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with the model group, serum levels of AST and ALT decreased, the liver pathology was improved, and the expression of CYP2E1 and TNF-alpha in the liver tissue decreased, showing statistical difference (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Jujube had certain effect in treating ALD.</p>