Protective effect of Cordyceps militaris polypeptide against acute alcoholic liver injury in rats / 临床肝胆病杂志

ABSTRACT

ObjectiveTo investigate the protective effect of Cordyceps militaris polypeptide against acute alcoholic liver injury in rats and related mechanism. MethodsA total of 60 Wistar rats were randomly divided into blank control group, model group, and low-, medium-, and high-dose Cordyceps militaris polypeptide groups. All rats except those in the blank control group were given 10 ml/kg 56° liquor by gavage once a day; the rats in the blank control group were given distilled water of the same dose by gavage once a day. At 1 hour after gavage with liquor, the rats in the model group and low-, medium-, and high-dose Cordyceps militaris polypeptide groups were given distilled water or Cordyceps militaris polypeptide solution (6 ml/kg) by gavage. Blood samples were collected from the orbit 4 weeks later. The serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and level of malondialdehyde (MDA) in the liver were measured for each group, and the pathological changes in the liver were observed under a light microscope. Analysis of variance was applied for comparison between multiple groups, and the SNK-q test was applied for comparison between any two groups. ResultsCompared with the model group, the low-, medium-, and high-dose Cordyceps militaris polypeptide groups showed significant reductions in the serum levels of ALT and AST and the level of MDA in the liver (all P＜0.05), as well as a significant increase in the activity of SOD in the liver (all P＜0.05), while these indices showed significant differences between the low-, medium-, and high-dose Cordyceps militaris polypeptide groups (all P＜0.05). The liver pathological sections from the low-, medium-, and high-dose Cordyceps militaris polypeptide groups showed alleviated hepatocyte fatty degeneration and necrosis induced by alcohol under a light microscope. ConclusionCordyceps militaris polypeptide has a protective effect against acute liver injury induced by alcohol, and its mechanism of action may be related to its antioxidant effect.