title: Potent hepatoprotective effect in CCl(4)-induced hepatic injury in mice of phloroacetophenone from Myrcia multiflora.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study investigated the hepatoprotective effect and antioxidant properties of phloroacetophenone (2',4',6'-trihydroxyacetophenone - THA), an acetophenone derived from the plant Myrcia multiflora. MATERIAL #ENTITYSTARTX00026;
  
  
  METHODS
  The free radical scavenging activity in vitro and induction of oxidative hepatic damage by carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4)) (0.5 ml/kg, i.p.) were tested in male Swiss mice (25±5 g).
  
  
  RESULTS
  This compound exhibited in vitro antioxidant effects on FeCl(2)-ascorbate-induced lipid peroxidation (LPO) in mouse liver homogenate, scavenging hydroxyl and superoxide radicals, and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl. The in vivo assays showed that THA significantly (p<0.01) prevented the increases of hepatic LPO as measured by the levels of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances, mitochondrial swelling. It also protected hepatocytes against protein carbonylation and oxidative DNA damage. Consistent with these observations, THA pre-treatment normalized the activities of antioxidant enzymes, such as catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase, and increased the levels of reduced glutathione (GSH) in CCl(4)-treated mice. In addition, THA treatment significantly prevented the elevation of serum enzymatic activities of alanine amino transferase, aspartate amino transferase, and lactate dehydrogenase, as well as histological alterations induced by CCl(4). Silymarin (SIL) (24 mg/kg), a known hepatoprotective drug used for comparison, led to a significant decrease (p<0.01) in activities of theses enzymes in way very similar to that observed in pre-treatment with THA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that the protective effects are due to reduction of oxidative damage induced by CCl(4) resulting from the antioxidant properties of THA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil.
authors.forename: Eduardo Antonio
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.forename: Eliana Fortes
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Gris
authors.forename: Karina Bettega
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Felipe
authors.forename: João Francisco Gomes
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Correia
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cargnin-Ferreira
authors.forename: Danilo
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wilhelm Filho
authors.forename: Rozangela Curi
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Pedrosa