title: Hepatoprotective activity of Gentiana veitchiorum Hemsl. against carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatotoxicity in mice.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the hepatoprotective effect of methanol extract of Gentiana veitchiorum (MGV) against CCl4-induced oxidative stress and liver injury in mice.
  
  
  METHODS
  The acute hepatic model was developed by injection of 20% CCl4 in mice. ICR mice were divided into six groups, including control, CCl4, CCl4(+) silymarin, and CCl4(+) MGV (100, 200, and 400 mg·kg(-1)) groups. Hepatic enzymes including AST, ALT and ALP levels in serum, and antioxidant enzymes, including SOD, CAT and GPX activity in liver tissue, were determined. Histopathological examination and Western blot analysis were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Oral administration of MGV at 200 and 400 mg·kg(-1) for 15 days dose-dependently inhibited the serum elevations of AST, ALT, and ALP, and recovered the reduction of SOD, CAT, and GPX in liver tissue. Hematoxylin and eosin staining examination performed in liver tissues suggested that MGV treatment ameliorated histopathological changes in CCl4-induced mice. Western blotting analysis implied that MGV increased HO-1 expression and recovered TNF-α alternation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  G. veitchiorum can protect the liver against CCl4-induced damage in mice, and this hepatoprotective effect was due at least in part to its ability through scavenging CCl4-associated free radical activities. The study provided in vivo evidence that G. veitchiorum can be used as a safe, cheap, and effective agent to reduce acute liver damage, supporting its folk medicine use.
authors: Ethnic Pharmaceutical Institute of Southwest, University for Nationalities, Chengdu 610041, China.
authors: Zhi-Feng
authors: ZF
authors: Zhang
authors: Ethnic Pharmaceutical Institute of Southwest, University for Nationalities, Chengdu 610041, China.
authors: Yuan
authors: Y
authors: Liu
authors: Ethnic Pharmaceutical Institute of Southwest, University for Nationalities, Chengdu 610041, China.
authors: Lu-Yang
authors: LY
authors: Lu
authors: State Key Laboratory for Quality Research of Chinese Medicines, Macau University of Science and Technology, Avenida Wai Long, Taipa, Macau, China. Electronic address: Pluo@must.edu.mo.
authors: Pei
authors: P
authors: Luo
mesh_terms: D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000378:metabolism; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride / Q000633:toxicity*; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D030012:Gentiana / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D020011:Protective Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts; D020011:Protective Agents; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase
keywords: Antioxidant enzymes; Gentiana veitchiorum; Hepatoprotective effect; Western blot