Abstract
Context: beta-Aescin has anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and antiedematous properties.
Objective: The present study investigated the hepatoprotective effect and underlying mechanisms of beta-aescin in CCl4-induced liver damage.
Materials and methods: Thirty-five Wistar rats were divided into six groups: normal control, CCl4 control, silymarin (50 mg/kg, p.o) and beta-aescin (0.9, 1.8 and 3.6 mg/kg, i.p.) treatment for 14 d. CCl4 (1mL/kg, i.p. for 3 d) was administered to produce hepatic damage. Ponderal changes and liver marker enzymes were estimated. Hepatic oxidative and nitrosative stress was estimated by levels of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), glutathione (GSH) and nitrite/nitrate. Serum TGF-beta 1 and TNF-alpha were estimated by ELISA technique. Hepatic collagen and histopathological studies were carried out.
Results: beta-Aescin (3.6 mg/kg) markedly decreased CCl4-induced increased levels of ALT, AST, ALP (71.77 versus 206.7, 71.39 versus 171.82, 121.20 versus 259 IU/L, respectively), total bilirubin (0.41 versus 1.35 mg/dL), TBARS (2.0 versus 8.83 nmol MDA/mg protein), nitrite/nitrate (352.50 versus 745.15 mu g/mL) and increased CCl4-induced decreased GSH levels (0.095 versus 0.048 mu mol/mg protein). beta-Aescin (3.6 mg/kg) induced focal regenerative changes in liver and markedly decreased TBARS (2.0 versus 8.83nmol MDA/mg protein), nitrite/nitrate (352.50 versus 745.15 mu g/mL), TGF-beta 1 (92.28 versus 152.1 pg/mL), collagen content (110.75 versus 301.74 mu mol/100mg tissue) and TNF-alpha (92.82 versus 170.56 pg/mL) when compared with CCl4 control.
Discussion and conclusion: The findings suggest that beta-aescin has a protective effect on CCl4-induced liver injury, exhibited via its anti-inflammatory, antioxidative, antinitrosative and antifibrotic properties inducing repair regeneration of liver. Hence, it can be used as a promising hepatoprotective agent.