title: Free radical scavenging and hepatoprotective actions of Quercus aliena acorn extract against CCl4-induced liver.
abstract: In the present study, we investigated the protective effect of Quercus aliena acorn extracts against CCl4-induced hepatotoxicity in rats, and the mechanism underlying the protective effects. Aqueous extracts of Quercus aliena acorn had higher superoxide radical scavenging activity than other types of extracts. The Quercus aliena acorn extracts displayed dose-dependent superoxide radical scavenging activity (IC50 = 4.92 microg/ml), as assayed by the electron spin resonance (ESR) spin-trapping technique. Pretreatment with Quercus aliena acorn extracts reduced the increase in serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels. The hepatoprotective action was confirmed by histological observation. The aqueous extracts reversed CCl4-induced liver injury and had an antioxidant action in assays of FeCl2- ascorbic acid induced lipid peroxidation in rats. Expression of cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1) mRNA, as measured by RT-PCR, was significantly decreased in the livers of Quercus aliena acorn-pretreated rats compared with the livers of the control group. These results suggest that the hepatoprotective effects of Quercus aliena acorn extract are related to its antioxidative activity and effect on the expression of CYP2E1.
authors.affiliation: Division of Biotechnology, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Kangwon-do, 200-701, South Korea.
authors.forename: Ying-Shan
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Seong-Il
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Heo
authors.forename: Min-Jae
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Hae-Ik
authors.initials: HI
authors.lastname: Rhee
authors.forename: Myeong-Hyeon
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002252:Carbon Tetrachloride Poisoning / Q000517:prevention & control*; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / Q000517:prevention & control*; D019392:Cytochrome P-450 CYP2E1 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D065691:Cytochrome P-450 CYP2E1 Inhibitors; D004578:Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use; D029963:Quercus; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013481:Superoxides / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D065691:Cytochrome P-450 CYP2E1 Inhibitors; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D010936:Plant Extracts; D013481:Superoxides; D019392:Cytochrome P-450 CYP2E1