title: Ameliorative effects of pycnogenol on carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatic oxidative damage in rats.
abstract: This study evaluated the putative antioxidant activity of Pycnogenol (PYC) against CCl4-induced hepatic oxidative damage in Sprague-Dawley rats. A single oral dose of CCl4 (1.25 mL/kg) produced significantly increased levels of serum aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activities. In addition, increased malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration, reduced glutathione (GSH) content, and decreased catalase, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) activities were observed in the hepatic tissues. However, concomitant administration with PYC (10 or 20 mg/kg) significantly improved CCl4-induced hepatic injury, as evidenced by the decline of serum AST and ALT activities in a dose dependent manner. Moreover, PYC reduced MDA concentration and increased GSH levels and catalase, SOD and GST activities in hepatic tissues, indicating that concomitant administration with PYC efficiently prevent the CCl4-induced oxidative damage in rats. The free radical scavenging assay showed that PYC has a dose-dependent scavenging activity against 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radicals. These results indicate that PYC has an antioxidant effect against CCl4-induced hepatic oxidative damage and is useful as a hepatoprotective agent against various liver diseases induced by oxidative stress.
authors: College of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Food and Nutrition, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 500-757, South Korea.
authors: Tai-Hwan
authors: TH
authors: Ahn
authors: Young-Su
authors: YS
authors: Yang
authors: Jong-Chan
authors: JC
authors: Lee
authors: Chang-Jong
authors: CJ
authors: Moon
authors: Sung-Ho
authors: SH
authors: Kim
authors: Woojin
authors: W
authors: Jun
authors: Seung-Chun
authors: SC
authors: Park
authors: Jong-Choon
authors: JC
authors: Kim
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002252:Carbon Tetrachloride Poisoning / Q000188:drug therapy*; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D010936:Plant Extracts; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D005419:Flavonoids; D010936:Plant Extracts; C024070:pycnogenols