Protective effects of dehydrocavidine on carbon tetrachloride-induced acute hepatotoxicity in rats.
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.
Wang
Tao
T
Center for New Drug Evaluation, Institute of Basic Medical Science, Second Military Medical University, No 800 Xiang Yin Road, Shanghai 200433, PR China.
Sun
Ning-Ling
NL
Zhang
Wei-Dong
WD
Li
Hui-Liang
HL
Lu
Guo-Cai
GC
Yuan
Bo-Jun
BJ
Jiang
Hua
H
She
Jia-Hong
JH
Zhang
Chuan
C
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
D000975:Antioxidants; D001600:Berberine Alkaloids; D010936:Plant Extracts; C011188:cavidine; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D005982:Glutathione Transferase; D005978:Glutathione