[Protective effect of 2,4-dihydroxybenzophenone on cocaine-induced hepatotoxicity and neurotoxicity in mice].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the protective effect of 2,4-dihydroxybenzophenone(BP-1) on acute hepatotoxicity and neurotoxicity induced by cocaine in mice, and its possible mechanism. METHODS: Male ICR mice were pretreated with BP-1(100,200,400 mg/kg, ig, 4 d), cocaine(75 mg/kg) was injected 30 minutes after BP-1 administration on day 4.Twenty-four hours after the injection of cocaine, the serum activities of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were assayed by HITACHI-7170A automatic analyzer. The content of malondialdehyde (MDA) and the content of reduced glutathione (GSH) and oxidized glutathione (GSSG) were examined, and the ratio of GSH/GSSG was calculated, and histopathological analyses were also made. Male ICR mice were pretreated with BP-1(100,200,400 mg/kg, ig, 3 d), cocaine(20 mg/kg) was injected 30 minutes after BP-1 administration on day 3.The locomotor activity during 0-180 minutes of mice was recorded individually for each animal immediately after cocaine injection. RESULTS: After the administration of cocaine, compared with corresponding solvent group, the activities of ALT [(1 571±1 161) IU/L vs. (30±16) IU/L, P<0.05], AST [(408±226) IU/L vs. (101±12) IU/L, P<0.05] and LDH [(3 963±1 431) IU/L vs. (1 935±287) IU/L, P<0.05] were significantly increased; the ratio of GSH/GSSG [(5.11±0.63) vs. (6.88±1.13),P<0.05] was decreased and the content of MDA [(1.97±1.36) µ mol/g vs. (0.07±0.06) µmol/g, P<0.01] was significantly increased. With the pretreatment of BP-1, compared with cocaine treatment group, the serum ALT [(112±96 )IU/L, (54±20) IU/L, (35±15) IU/L, P<0.05],AST [(130±33) IU/L,(107±5) IU/L, (99±9) IU/L, P<0.05] and LDH [(1 667±564) IU/L, (1 507±365) IU/L, (1 249±349) IU/L, P<0.01] were significantly decreased, the ratios of GSH/GSSG [(7.33±1.84), (9.28±0.67), (10.5±1.20), P<0.05] were increased and the contents of MDA [(1.82±1.19)µmol/g, (0.49±0.31)µmol/g, (0.35±0.30) µmol/g, P<0.05] were decreased. Significant amelioration in liver histopathology was also presented in the BP-1 treatment groups. The BP-1 pretreated mice showed significant reduction in activity counts evoked by cocaine (20 mg/kg), and shorten the time for activity counts to become normal. CONCLUSION: BP-1 has protective effect on acute hepatotoxicity and neurotoxicity of mice induced by cocaine. Its mechanisms might be associated with its antioxidant activity.

Protective effects of 5-methoxypsoralen against acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity in mice.

AIM: To investigate the hepatic protective effects of 5-methoxypsoralen (5-MOP) and to learn if 5-MOP causes hepatotoxicity at protective doses. METHODS: C57BL/6J mice were administrated orally with 5-MOP at doses of 12.5, 25 and 50 mg/kg body weight respectively every morning for 4 d before given acetaminophen (APAP) subcutaneously at a dose of 500 mg/kg. The 5-MOP alone group was treated with 5-MOP orally at a dose of 50 mg/kg body weight for 4 d without APAP. Twenty-four hours after APAP administration, blood samples of mice were analyzed for serum enzyme alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels, and malondialdehyde (MDA), reduced glutathione (GSH) and oxidized glutathione (GSSG) of liver tissues were measured and histopathologic changes of the liver were observed. RESULTS: Compared with the vehicle control group, the serum levels (IU/L) of ALT, AST and LDH were all increased significantly in APAP group (8355 ± 3940 vs 30 ± 21, P < 0.05; 6482 ± 4018 vs 146 ± 58, P < 0.05; 24627 ± 10975 vs 1504 ± 410, P < 0.05). Compared with APAP group, the serum ALT levels (IU/L) (1674 ± 1810 vs 8355 ± 3940, P < 0.05; 54 ± 39 vs 8355 ± 3940, P < 0.05; 19 ± 9 vs 8355 ± 3940, P < 0.05), AST levels (IU/L) (729 ± 685 vs 6482 ± 4108, P < 0.05; 187 ± 149 vs 6482 ± 4108, P < 0.05; 141 ± 12 vs 6482 ± 4108, P < 0.05) and LDH levels (IU/L) (7220 ± 6317 vs 24 627 ± 10 975, P < 0.05; 1618 ± 719 vs 24 627 ± 10 975, P < 0.05; 1394 ± 469 vs 24 627 ± 10 975, P < 0.05) were all decreased drastically in the three-dosage 5-MOP pretreatment groups. Pretreatment of 5-MOP could attenuate histopathologic changes induced by APAP, including hepatocellular necrosis and infiltration of inflammatory cells, and the effect was dose-dependent. MDA levels (nmol/mg) were decreased by 5-MOP in a dose-dependent manner (0.98 ± 0.45 vs 2.15 ± 1.07, P > 0.05; 0.59 ± 0.07 vs 2.15 ± 1.07, P < 0.05; 0.47 ± 0.06 vs 2.15 ± 1.07, P < 0.05). The pretreatment of 5-MOP could also increase the GSH/GSSG ratio (3.834 ± 0.340 vs 3.306 ± 0.282, P > 0.05; 5.330 ± 0.421 vs 3.306 ± 0.282, P < 0.05; 6.180 ± 0.212 vs 3.306 ± 0.282, P < 0.05). In the group treated with 5-MOP but without APAP, the serum enzyme levels, the liver histopathologic manifestation, and the values of MDA and GSH/GSSG ratio were all normal. CONCLUSION: 5-MOP can effectively protect C57BL/6J mice from APAP-induced hepatotoxicity and possesses an antioxidative activity, and does not cause liver injury at the protective doses.

Protective effects of 2,4-dihydroxybenzophenone against acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity in mice.

AIM: To examine the effects of 2,4-dihydroxybenzophenone (BP-1), a benzophenone derivative used as an ultraviolet light absorbent, on acetaminophen (APAP)-induced hepatotoxicity in C57BL/6J mice. METHODS: Mice were administered orally with BP-1 at doses of 200, 400 and 800 mg/kg body weight respectively every morning for 4 d before a hepatotoxic dose of APAP (350 mg/kg body weight) was given subcutaneously. Twenty four hours after APAP intoxication, the serum enzyme including serum alaine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were measured and liver histopathologic changes were examined. RESULTS: BP-1 administration dramatically reduced serum ALT, AST and LDH levels. Liver histopathological examination showed that BP-1 administration antagonized APAP-induced liver pathological damage in a dose-dependent manner. Further tests showed that APAP-induced hepatic lipid peroxidation was reduced significantly by BP-1 pretreatment, and glutathione depletion was ameliorated obviously. CONCLUSION: BP-1 can effectively protect C57BL/6J mice from APAP-induced hepatotoxicity, and reduction of oxidative stress might be part of the protection mechanism.

[The hepatoprotective effect of aqueous extracts from Ficus hirta on N, N-dimethylformamide induced acute liver injury in mice].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of aqueous extract from Ficus hirta on N, N-Dimethylformamide (DMF) induced liver injury in mice. METHODS: C57BL/6 mice and ICR mice were randomly divided into 5 groups: negative control group, positive control group and three treated groups respectively. Treated groups were administered orally with 100, 200, 300 g/kg Ficus hirta aqueous extract per day respectively for 5 days. On the 4th day, 2. 3 g/kg DMF was given by intraperitoneal injection to all C57BL/6 mice except negative control group, while for ICR, DMF was administration at a 2.75 g/kg dose. 48h after DMF injection, serum samples were collected to determine the activities of ALT, AST and LDH and the pathological changes of liver tissue were analyzed under microscope. RESULTS: Compared with the positive control, the activities of ALT, AST and LDH were significantly reduced and the liver injury obviously attenuated in treated groups. CONCLUSION: The aqueous extract of Ficus hirta has an obvious protective effect against DMF-induced acute liver injury in mice.

[Effect of roots of Ficus hirta on cocaine-induced hepatotoxicity and active components].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the protective effect of the roots of F. hirta against the cocaine-induced hepatotoxicity and it's active components. METHOD: Cocaine hydrochloride was subcutaneously injected to make male ICR mice liver wounded. Male ICR mice were randomly ig administered with the F. hirta decoction. The dose groups are 100, 200, 300 g x kg(-1) herb materials per body weight. Cocaine hydrochloride was subcutaneously injected into the mice after the administration. The serum ALT, AST activity and the activity of CAT in liver homogenate were assayed, and liver change of pathomorphism was evaluated to prove the effect of the F. hirta decoction on cocaine-induced hepatotoxicity. And the activity of psoralean which was separated from the F. hirta decoction by bioassay-guided fractionation, was proofed in the same method. RESULT: We find that the F. hirta decoction shows a distinct effect on reducing serum transferase. The serum transferase and the content CAT in liver homogenate were dose-related reduced, and the histopathological examination found a significantly change of the liver tissues. And the psoralean, qua the mainly component, shows the same effect. CONCLUSION: F. hirta has the protective effect against the cocaine-induced hepatotoxicity. Psoralean is the basis.