Protective effect of aescin from the seeds of Aesculus hippocastanum on liver injury induced by endotoxin in mice.

Abstract

To investigate the effect and underlying mechanism of aescin on acute liver injury induced by endotoxin, liver injury was established by injecting lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in mice. Animals were assigned to seven groups: the control group and groups treated with LPS (40 mg/kg), aescin (3.6 mg/kg), LPS plus dexamethasone (4 mg/kg) and LPS plus aescin (0.9, 1.8 or 3.6 mg/kg). Hepatic histopathological changes were examined under a light microscope. Activities of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in serum were determined. Levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), nitric oxide (NO) and antioxidative parameters in liver homogenate were measured. Glucocorticoid receptor (GR), 11 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11β-HSD1) and 11 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 (11β-HSD2) expressions in liver were determined by western blotting. Treatment with escin could inhibit immigration of inflammatory cells, alleviate the degree of necrosis, and decrease serum ALT and AST activities. Aescin also down-regulated levels of inflammation mediators (TNF-α, IL-1β and NO) and 11β-HSD2 expression in liver, up-regulated GR expression, enhanced endogenous antioxidative capacity, but have no obvious effect on 11β-HSD1 expression in liver. The findings suggest aescin has protective effects on endotoxin-induced liver injury, and the underlying mechanisms were associated with its anti-inflammatory effects, up-regulating GR expression, down-regulating 11β-HSD2 experssion, and antixoidation.

• Authors: Na Jiang, Wenyu Xin, Tian Wang, Leiming Zhang, Huaying Fan, Yuan Du, Chong Li, Fenghua Fu
• Journal: Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology (Phytomedicine) Vol. 18 Issue 14 Pg. 1276-84 (Nov 15 2011) ISSN: 1618-095X [Electronic] Germany
• PMID: 21802269 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2011 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Antioxidants
• Cytokines
• Lipopolysaccharides
• Protective Agents
• Nitric Oxide
• Escin
• Dexamethasone
• 11-beta-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Type 1
• 11-beta-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Type 2
• Aspartate Aminotransferases
• Alanine Transaminase

Topics

• 11-beta-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Type 1 (chemistry)
• 11-beta-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Type 2 (chemistry)
• Aesculus (chemistry)
• Alanine Transaminase (blood)
• Animals
• Antioxidants (chemistry)
• Aspartate Aminotransferases (blood)
• Blotting, Western
• Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury (drug therapy, pathology)
• Cytokines (chemistry)
• Dexamethasone (pharmacology)
• Escin (pharmacology)
• Lipopolysaccharides (adverse effects)
• Liver (drug effects, enzymology, pathology)
• Male
• Mice
• Molecular Structure
• Nitric Oxide (chemistry)
• Protective Agents (pharmacology)
• Seeds (chemistry)