title: Hepatoprotective effect of germanium-containing Spirulina in rats with (D)-galactosamine- and lipopolysaccharide-induced hepatitis.
abstract: In the present study, the protective effects of dietary Spirulina (SP) and germanium-containing Spirulina (GeSP) were compared in rats with liver injury induced by an intraperitoneal injection of d-galactosamine and lipopolysaccharide (GalN/LPS). Wistar rats were fed one of the following diets: the basal diet (GalN/LPS-CON group; n 6), the basal diet supplemented with 5 % SP or GeSP (GalN/LPS-SP and GalN/LPS-GeSP group, respectively; n 7 each). After administering these diets for 7 d, each rat was intraperitoneally injected with GalN/LPS. Increases in plasma alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activities were suppressed in the GalN/LPS-GeSP group (GalN/LPS-CON v. GalN/LPS-GeSP: ALT 1052 (sem 187) v. 509 (sem 88) IU/l and AST 2183 (sem 368) v. 1170 (sem 196) IU/l) following the injection of GalN/LPS. Plasma levels of interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and TNF-α in GeSP-fed rats were significantly lower when compared with those in the GalN/LPS-CON group (GalN/LPS-CON v. GalN/LPS-GeSP: IFN-γ 142·8 (sem 17·5) v. 66·8 (sem 9·7) pg/ml and TNF-α 72·3 (sem 15·4) v. 31·2 (sem 6·8) pg/ml). However, the decrease in these levels observed in the GalN/LPS-SP group was not as prominent as those observed in the GalN/LPS-GeSP group. Furthermore, the increase in liver catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities, as well as the level of oxidised glutathione (GSSG), was more suppressed in GeSP-fed rats (GalN/LPS-CON v. GalN/LPS-GeSP: CAT 457 (sem 47) v. 262 (sem 54) U/mg liver protein; GPx 1·30 (sem 0·11) v. 0·53 (sem 0·09) U/mg liver protein; GSSG 2·18 (sem 0·33) v. 1·31 (sem 0·24) mmol/kg liver) after the injection of GalN/LPS. These changes were more pronounced in the GalN/LPS-GeSP group than in the GalN/LPS-SP group. These results suggest that GeSP could afford a significant protective effect in the alleviation of GalN/LPS-induced hepatic damage. In addition, the results indicate that GeSP is more effective than SP.
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioresource Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture, Yamagata University, Yamagata 997-8555, Japan.
authors.forename: Orie
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Yoshinari
authors.affiliation: Ryusendo Company Limited, Tokyo 171-0021, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshiaki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shiojima
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioresource Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture, Yamagata University, Yamagata 997-8555, Japan.
authors.forename: Kiharu
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Igarashi
mesh_terms: D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D002374:Catalase / Q000378:metabolism; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005688:Galactosamine; D005857:Germanium / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D006505:Hepatitis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D053545:Spirulina / Q000737:chemistry*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D005857:Germanium; D005688:Galactosamine; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D002374:Catalase; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D005978:Glutathione