School of Chinese Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, PR China.
J Ethnopharmacol. 2011 Dec 8;138(3):683-90. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2011.09.032. Epub 2011 Sep 22.
Coptidis rhizoma is traditionally used for heat-clearing and toxic-scavenging and it belongs to liver meridian in Chinese medicine practice. Clinically, Coptidis rhizoma can be used for hepatic and biliary disorders, yet details in the therapies of liver diseases and underlying mechanism(s) remain unclear. Our previous study demonstrated that Coptidis rhizoma aqueous extract (CRAE) against CCl(4)-induced acute liver damage was related to antioxidant property. In the present study, the protection of CRAE on chronic liver damage induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4)) in rats and its related mechanism were explored.
The CCl(4)-induced chronic liver damage model was established, and CRAE's protective effect was examined. Serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity, serum and liver superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity were then measured. The histological changes were observed under microscopy and then computed in numerical score. The normal or damaged cells were isolated and related signaling pathway was evaluated.
Serum AST and ALT activities were significantly decreased in rats treated with different doses of CRAE, indicating its protective effect against CCl(4)-induced chronic liver damage. Observation on serum SOD activity revealed that CRAE might act as an anti-oxidant agent against CCl(4)-induced chronic oxide stress. Histological study supported these observations. Erk1/2 inhibition may take part into CRAE's effect on preventing hepatocyte from apoptosis when exposed to oxidative stress.
CRAE showed protective effect against CCl(4)-induced chronic liver damage in rats and its potential as an agent in the treatment of chronic liver diseases by protecting hepatocyte from injury.
黄连是传统的清热解毒药材，属于中医肝经。临床上，黄连可用于肝胆疾病，但肝病的治疗细节和潜在机制尚不清楚。我们之前的研究表明，黄连水提物（CRAE）对 CCl4 诱导的急性肝损伤具有抗氧化作用。本研究探讨了 CRAE 对四氯化碳（CCl4）诱导的大鼠慢性肝损伤的保护作用及其相关机制。
建立 CCl4 诱导的慢性肝损伤模型，观察 CRAE 的保护作用。检测血清天冬氨酸转氨酶（AST）和丙氨酸转氨酶（ALT）活性、血清和肝脏超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）活性。显微镜观察组织学变化，并进行数值评分。分离正常或受损细胞，评估相关信号通路。
不同剂量 CRAE 处理的大鼠血清 AST 和 ALT 活性显著降低，表明 CRAE 对 CCl4 诱导的慢性肝损伤具有保护作用。血清 SOD 活性观察表明，CRAE 可能作为抗氧化剂对抗 CCl4 诱导的慢性氧化应激。组织学研究支持这些观察结果。ERK1/2 抑制可能参与 CRAE 防止氧化应激诱导的肝细胞凋亡的作用。
CRAE 对 CCl4 诱导的大鼠慢性肝损伤具有保护作用，可作为保护肝细胞免受损伤的药物，用于治疗慢性肝病。
