Protective mechanism of Lygodium flexuosum extract in treating and preventing carbon tetrachloride induced hepatic fibrosis in rats.
The protective effect of Lygodium flexuosum extract in preventive and curative treatments of CCl(4) induced fibrosis was quantified. Hepatic fibrosis was induced in male Wistar rats by CCl(4) administration (150 microL/100 gm rat weight, oral) twice a week for 10 weeks. In preventive treatment daily doses of L. flexuosum n-hexane extract (200 mg/kg, p.o) were administered for 10 weeks. In curative treatment L. flexuosum extract (200 mg/kg, p.o) was given for 2 weeks after the establishment of fibrosis for 10 weeks. Treatment with the n-hexane extract (200 mg/kg) reduced the mRNA levels of proinflammatory cytokines, growth factors and other signaling molecules, which are involved in hepatic fibrosis. The expression levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-1beta, transforming growth factor-beta1, procollagen-I, procollagen-III and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 were elevated during carbon tetrachloride administration and reduced the levels to normal by the treatment with the extract treatment. The increased levels of matrix metalloproteinase-13 in extract treated rats were indicative of the protective action of L. flexuosum n-hexane extract. In conclusion, L. flexuosum n-hexane extract functions as a potent fibrosuppresant, effectively reverses carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatic fibrosis in curative treatment and reduces the effects of ongoing toxic liver injury in preventive treatment by promoting extracellular matrix degradation in the fibrotic liver.
Wills
P J
PJ
Molecular Ethnopharmacology Laboratory, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala 695014, India.
Asha
V V
VV
D000818:Animals; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002252:Carbon Tetrachloride Poisoning / Q000188:drug therapy*; D029624:Ferns / Q000737:chemistry*; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D053509:Matrix Metalloproteinase 13 / Q000378:metabolism; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011347:Procollagen / Q000378:metabolism; D020011:Protective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D019715:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D016211:Transforming Growth Factor alpha / Q000378:metabolism; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000378:metabolism
D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D010936:Plant Extracts; D011347:Procollagen; D020011:Protective Agents; D019715:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1; D016211:Transforming Growth Factor alpha; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D053509:Matrix Metalloproteinase 13