title: Protective effects of the flavonoid-rich fraction from rhizomes of Smilax glabra Roxb. on carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatotoxicity in rats.
abstract: Hepatoprotective agents could prevent tissue damage and reduce morbidity and mortality rates; such agents may include folkloric or alternative treatments. The present study evaluated the protective effects of the flavonoid-rich fraction from rhizomes of Smilax glabra Roxb. (SGF) on carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄)-induced hepatotoxicity in rats. Sprague-Dawley male rats were orally treated with SGF daily and received CCl₄ intraperitoneally twice a week for 4 weeks. Our results showed that SGF at doses of 100, 300 and 500 mg/kg significantly reduced the elevated activities of serum aminotransferases (ALT and AST), alkaline phosphatase and lactate dehydrogenase and the level of hepatic thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances compared to the CCl₄-treated group. Moreover, SGF treatment was also found to significantly increase the activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, glutathione-S-transferase and glutathione compared with CCl₄-induced intoxicated liver. Histopathologic examination revealed that CCl₄-induced hepatic damage was markedly reversed by SGF. The results suggest that SGF has hepatoprotective and antioxidant properties in CCl₄-induced liver injury in rats.
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, No. 548, Binwen Road, Hangzhou 310053, Zhejiang Province, China.
authors.forename: Daozong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.forename: Yongsheng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: Peihua
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: Mengting
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ju
authors.forename: Xiaosa
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride / Q000633:toxicity; D002252:Carbon Tetrachloride Poisoning / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D010088:Oxidoreductases / Q000378:metabolism; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D027343:Rhizome / Q000737:chemistry*; D032281:Smilax / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D005419:Flavonoids; D010936:Plant Extracts; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride; D010088:Oxidoreductases