title: Protective effects of dehydrocavidine on carbon tetrachloride-induced acute hepatotoxicity in rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the protective effects of dehydrocavidine (DC), a main active ingredient of Corydalis saxicola Bunting (Yanhuanglian), on carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced hepatotoxicity and the possible mechanisms involved in male Sprague-Dawley rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Acute hepatotoxicity was induced by CCl4 intoxication in rats. Serum biological analysis, lipid peroxides and antioxidants estimation, histopathological studies were carried out.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both pre-treatment with DC prior to CCl4 administration and post-treatment with DC after CCl4 administration significantly prevented increases in serum enzymatic activities of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and total bilirubin (TBIL). In addition, pre- and post-treatment with DC also significantly prevented formation of hepatic malondialdehyde (MDA), depletion of glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and depression of superoxide dismutase (SOD) in the liver of CCl4-intoxicated rats. ALT, AST, LDH, ALP and TBILL levels, as well as MDA, SOD and GPx activities were unaffected in normal rats by treatment with DC alone. GST, a phase II enzyme, had no significant changes during our experiments. Histopathological changes induced by CCl4 were also significantly attenuated by DC treatment in both preventive and curative experiments.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  DC has a potent hepatoprotective effect on CCl4-induced liver injury in rats through its antioxidant activity.
authors: Center for New Drug Evaluation, Institute of Basic Medical Science, Second Military Medical University, No 800 Xiang Yin Road, Shanghai 200433, PR China.
authors: Tao
authors: T
authors: Wang
authors: Ning-Ling
authors: NL
authors: Sun
authors: Wei-Dong
authors: WD
authors: Zhang
authors: Hui-Liang
authors: HL
authors: Li
authors: Guo-Cai
authors: GC
authors: Lu
authors: Bo-Jun
authors: BJ
authors: Yuan
authors: Hua
authors: H
authors: Jiang
authors: Jia-Hong
authors: JH
authors: She
authors: Chuan
authors: C
authors: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology; D001600:Berberine Alkaloids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002252:Carbon Tetrachloride Poisoning / Q000517:prevention & control*; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003460:Crystallization; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism; D005982:Glutathione Transferase / Q000378:metabolism; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D001600:Berberine Alkaloids; D010936:Plant Extracts; C011188:cavidine; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D005982:Glutathione Transferase; D005978:Glutathione