title: Lycium barbarum polysaccharides protect mice liver from carbon tetrachloride-induced oxidative stress and necroinflammation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Lycium barbarum has been used as a traditional Chinese medicine to nourish liver, kidneys and the eyes.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We investigated the protective mechanisms of Wolfberry, Lycium barbarum polysaccharides (LBP) in carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4))-induced acute liver injury.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mice were intraperitoneally injected with a 50 μl/kg CCl(4) to induce acute hepatotoxicity (8h) and were orally fed with LBP 2 h before the CCl(4) injection. There were six experimental groups of mice (n=7-8 per group), namely: control mice (vehicle only; 1 mg/kg LBP or 10 mg/kg LBP), CCl(4)-treated mice and CCl(4)+LBP treated mice (1 mg/kg LBP or 10 mg/kg LBP).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pre-treatment with LBP effectively reduced the hepatic necrosis and the serum ALT level induced by CCl(4) intoxication. LBP remarkably inhibited cytochrome P450 2E1 expression and restored the expression levels of antioxidant enzymes. It also decreased the level of nitric oxide metabolism and lipid peroxidation induced by CCl(4). LBP attenuated hepatic inflammation via down-regulation of proinflammatory mediators and chemokines. Furthermore, LBP promoted liver regeneration after CCl(4) treatment. The protective effects of LBP against hepatotoxicity were partly through the down-regulation of nuclear factor kappa-B activity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  LBP is effective in reducing necroinflammation and oxidative stress induced by a chemical toxin, thus it has a great potential use as a food supplement in the prevention of hepatic diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
authors.forename: Jia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: Emily C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Liong
authors.forename: Yick Pang
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Ching
authors.forename: Raymond Chuen Chung
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Kwok Fai
authors.initials: KF
authors.lastname: So
authors.forename: Man Lung
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Fung
authors.forename: George L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Tipoe
mesh_terms: D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D019392:Cytochrome P-450 CYP2E1 / Q000378:metabolism; D065691:Cytochrome P-450 CYP2E1 Inhibitors; D016207:Cytokines / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D019610:Cytoprotection; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic / Q000187:drug effects; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000378:metabolism; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D032305:Lycium / Q000737:chemistry; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000378:metabolism; D009336:Necrosis; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000975:Antioxidants; D065691:Cytochrome P-450 CYP2E1 Inhibitors; D016207:Cytokines; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D016328:NF-kappa B; C500223:lycium barbarum polysaccharide; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride; D019392:Cytochrome P-450 CYP2E1; D000410:Alanine Transaminase