title: Silybum marianum oil attenuates oxidative stress and ameliorates mitochondrial dysfunction in mice treated with D-galactose.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Silybum marianum has been used as herbal medicine for the treatment of liver disease, liver cirrhosis, and to prevent liver cancer in Europe and Asia since ancient times. Silybum marianum oil (SMO), a by-product of silymarin production, is rich in essential fatty acids, phospholipids, sterols, and vitamin E. However, it has not been very good development and use.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  In the present study, we used olive oil as a control to investigate the antioxidant and anti-aging effect of SMO in D-galactose (D-gal)-induced aging mice.
  
  
  METHODS
  D-gal was injected intraperitoneally (500 mg/kg body weight daily) for 7 weeks while SMO was simultaneously administered orally. The triglycerides (TRIG) and cholesterol (CHOL) levels were estimated in the serum. Superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), monoamine oxidase (MAO), malondialdehyde (MDA), caspase-3, and Bcl-2 were determined in the liver and brain. The activities of Na(+)-K(+)-adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase), Ca(2+)-Mg(2+)-ATPase, membrane potential (ΔΨm), and membrane fluidity of the liver mitochondrial were estimated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  SMO decreased levels of TRIG and CHOL in aging mice. SMO administration elevated the activities of SOD, GSH-Px, and T-AOC, which are suppressed by aging. The levels of MAO and MDA in the liver and brain were reduced by SMO administration in aging mice. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay showed that SMO significantly decreased the concentration of caspase-3 and improved the activity of Bcl-2 in the liver and brain of aging mice. Furthermore, SMO significantly attenuated the D-gal induced liver mitochondrial dysfunction by improving the activities of Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase, Ca(2+)-Mg(2+)-ATPase, membrane potential (ΔΨm), and membrane fluidity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results indicate that SMO effectively attenuated oxidative damage and improved apoptosis related factors as well as liver mitochondrial dysfunction in aging mice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Quality and Safety, School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, 212013, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Shu Yun
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science and Engineering, School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, 212013, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Quality and Safety, School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, 212013, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tu
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Quality and Safety, School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, 212013, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Yue
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Quality and Safety, School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, 212013, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Xing Hua
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Quality and Safety, School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, 212013, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Xu
keywords: Aging; D-galactose; Silybum marianum oil; mitochondrial dysfunction; oxidative damage