Preventive Effect of Alkaloids from on Acute Liver Injury in Mice.

is a traditional Chinese food that can be used as a beverage. In this study, three kinds of from different regions of China were selected to observe the preventive effects of extracted alkaloids on CCl₄-induced liver injuries. Animal experiments revealed that alkaloids extracted from decreased the serum AST (aspartate aminotransferase), ALT (alanine aminotransferase), and TBIL (total bilirubin) levels, enhanced SOD (superoxide dismutase) activity, and reduced MDA (malondialdehyde) level in the liver tissues of mice with liver injury. H&E observation confirmed that alkaloids from could alleviate CCl₄-induced injuries of liver tissues and inhibit the inflammatory effect on hepatocytes. Further qPCR experiments also demonstrated that alkaloids from upregulated the expression of IκB-α (inhibitor of NF-κB alpha), Cu/Zn-SOD (copper/zinc superoxide dismutase), Mn-SOD (manganese superoxide dismutase), and CAT (catalase) mRNA and downregulated TNF-α (tumor necrosis factor alpha) and NF-κB (nuclear factor kappa B) expression in the liver tissues of mice with liver injury. All three kinds of alkaloids from could prevent CCl₄-induced liver injuries by regulating the levels of oxidative stress and inflammation in mice, and the therapeutic effect was comparable to that of silymarin, the medicine commonly used in the treatment of liver diseases. In summary, alkaloids from contain bioactive substances with hepatic protective efficacy and possess potential application value in the field of functional food.