title: Prophylactic effects of humic acid-glucan combination against experimental liver injury.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Despite intensive research, liver diseases represent a significant health problem and current medicine does not offer a substance able to significantly inhibit the hepatotoxicity leading to various stages of liver disease. Based on our previously published studies showing the protective effects of a glucan-humic acid (HA) combination, we focused on the hypothesis that the combination of these two natural molecules can offer prophylactic protection against experimentally induced hepatotoxicity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Lipopolysaccharide, carbon tetrachloride, and ethanol were used to experimentally damage the liver. Levels of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, glutathione, superoxide dismutase, and malondialdehyde, known to correspond to the liver damage, were assayed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Using three different hepatotoxins, we found that in all cases, some samples of HA and most of all the glucan-HA combination, offer strong protection against liver damage.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Glucan-HA combination is a promising agent for use in liver protection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Louisville, Louisville, USA.
authors.forename: Vaclav
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Vetvicka
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Soil Chemistry, Agricultural Chemistry and Biology Group, University of Navarra, Spain.
authors.forename: Jose Maria
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Garcia-Mina
authors.affiliation: Department of R&D, Timac Agro International, Dinard, France.
authors.forename: Jean-Claude
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Yvin
keywords: Enzymes; glucan; humic acid; liver; protection