Hepatoprotective effects of Nigella sativa seed extract against acetaminophen-induced oxidative stress

Objective: To investigate the protective effects of Nigella sativa seed extract (NSSE) against acetaminophen (APAP)-induced hepatotoxicity in TIB-73 cells and rats. Methods: Toxicity in TIB-73 cells was induced with 10 μmol/L APAP and the protective effects of NSSE were evaluated at 25, 50, 75, 100 μg/mL. For in vivo examination, a total of 30 rats were equally divided into five experimental groups; normal control (vehicle), APAP (800 mg/kg body weight single IP injection) as a hepatotoxic control, and three APAP and NS pretreated (2 weeks) groups (APAP + NSSE 100 mg; APAP + NSSE 300 mg and APAP + NSSE 900 mg/kg). Results: TIB-73 cell viability was drastically decreased by (49.0 ± 1.9)% after the 10 μmol/LAPAP treatment, which also increased reactive oxygen species production. Co-treatment with NSSE at 25, 50, 75, and 100 μg/mL significantly improved cell viability and suppressed reactive oxygen species generation. In vivo, the APAP induced alterations in blood lactate levels, pH, anionic gap, and ion levels (HCO

Hepatoprotective effects of Nigella sativa seed extract against acetaminophen-induced oxidative stress

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the protective effects of Nigella sativa seed extract (NSSE) against acetaminophen (APAP)-induced hepatotoxicity in TIB-73 cells and rats.@*METHODS@#Toxicity in TIB-73 cells was induced with 10 μmol/L APAP and the protective effects of NSSE were evaluated at 25, 50, 75, 100 μg/mL. For in vivo examination, a total of 30 rats were equally divided into five experimental groups; normal control (vehicle), APAP (800 mg/kg body weight single IP injection) as a hepatotoxic control, and three APAP and NS pretreated (2 weeks) groups (APAP + NSSE 100 mg; APAP + NSSE 300 mg and APAP + NSSE 900 mg/kg).@*RESULTS@#TIB-73 cell viability was drastically decreased by (49.0 ± 1.9)% after the 10 μmol/LAPAP treatment, which also increased reactive oxygen species production. Co-treatment with NSSE at 25, 50, 75, and 100 μg/mL significantly improved cell viability and suppressed reactive oxygen species generation. In vivo, the APAP induced alterations in blood lactate levels, pH, anionic gap, and ion levels (HCO3(-), Mg(2+) and K(+)), which tended to normalize with the NSSE pretreatment. The NSSE also significantly decreased elevated serum levels of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, lactate dehydrogenase, and alkaline phosphatase induced by APAP, which correlated with decreased levels of hepatic lipid peroxidation (malondialdehyde), increased superoxide dismutase levels, and reduced glutathione concentrations. Improved hepatic histology was also found in the treatment groups other than APAP group.@*CONCLUSIONS@#The in vitro and in vivo findings of this study demonstrated that the NSSE has protective effects against APAP-induced hepatotoxicity and metabolic disturbances by improving antioxidant activities and suppressing both lipid peroxidation and ROS generation.

Korean red ginseng prevents ethanol-induced hepatotoxicity in isolated perfused rat liver / 대한수의학회지

Alcohol abuse and its medical and social consequences are a major health problem in many areas of the world. Korean red ginseng (KRG) has been traditionally used for the treatment of liver disease. This study was conducted to evaluate the hepatoprotective effects of KRG against hepatotoxicity in Sprague-Dawley rats treated with ethanol (EtOH). Administration of EtOH for 20 days induced significant changes in serum biochemical parameters (aspartate aminotransferase, alanine transaminase, and glucose) accompanied by histological changes in the liver tissue. Treatment with KRG prior to administration of EtOH inhibited the EtOH-induced biochemical and histological changes of the liver. In perfused rat livers, administration of EtOH caused an increase in lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release into the perfusate and activated the pro-apoptotic Bax protein but inhibited the anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 protein. Pretreatment with KRG prior to administration of EtOH decreased the EtOH-induced LDH release and inhibition of Bcl-2 protein. These results suggest that KRG exerts anti-apoptotic effects and alleviated EtOH-induced liver injury in rats.

Application of P450RGS reporter gene system as a bioindicator of sediment PAH contamination in the vicinity of Incheon Harbor, Korea.

Sixty seven sediment samples were collected from Kyeonggi Bay, Korea, including the mouth of Han River, Incheon Harbor, the Namdong industrial complex, and the open sea. Collections were conducted in December, 1995 and samples were maintained frozen (-20 °C) until analysis. Dichloromethane extracts were analysed for their content of CYP1A1-inducing compounds with a P450RGS (reporter gene system) assay, and for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Sediment samples were also analysed for organic carbon (OC) content and grain size, to aid in evaluating the relationship between contamination and physical nature of the sediments. The responses of the P450RGS assay to the sediment extracts were expressed as µg of benzo[a]pyrene toxic equivalents per g dry weight (µg g(-1) BaPTEQ), and these values correlated well (r(2) = 0.624 with total PAHs. BaPTEQ values were also highly correlated with the OC content of the sediments. The determination of P450RGS BaPTEQ is a useful tool, because it is both a rapid and inexpensive means of assessing the potential toxicity of organic compounds in environmental sediment samples. These values represent an estimate of the levels of compounds in the sediment that are potentially available to organisms through chronic exposure to pore water or ingestion of benthic species. We believe BaPTEQ values are more useful than tables of specific PAH concentrations, if the purpose of the investigation is to either obtain a rapid screening of an area or to develop some form of ecological or human health risk assessment.