title: Protective effects of sesamin on liver fibrosis through antioxidative and anti-inflammatory activities in rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Sesamin (Ses) from Sesamun indicum seeds has potent antioxidants and anti-inflammatory effects.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study focused on the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of Ses on Carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced hepatic fibrosis in experimental rats and the potential mechanism underlying the activation of NF-kB pathway.
  
  
  METHODS
  Hepatic fibrosis was induced by interaperitoneally (i.p.) administered with 20% CCl4 in corn oil (2 mL/kg for 8 weeks) in rats. After 8 weeks, activities of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and total bilirubin (TBIL) were checked. The levels of protein carbonyls and antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD) and GSH-Px were determined after Ses administration. H&E and Masson's trichrome staining for histopathological changes of liver tissues were observed. Western blotting was used to detect expression of IL-6, cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), and NF-kB activation. Finally, the levels of hydroxyproline in liver tissues were also determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ses decreased the release of liver enzymes - ALT, AST, and TBIL, reduced protein carbonyls, attenuated the reduction of SOD and GSH-Px activities induced by CCl4 in the liver tissue. It also significantly reduced the levels IL-6 and COX-2 in the liver caused by CCl4 by inhibition of NF-kB activation. Histological results indicated that Ses significantly improved the pathological lesions of liver fibrosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ses exerted hepatoprotective effects possibly due to the antioxidant effect and suppressing the NF-kB activation.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Ultrasound Imaging , the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University , Wenzhou , China .
authors.forename: Xiaowei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: b Department of Orthopaedic Surgery , the Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University , Wenzhou , China .
authors.forename: Xiaozhou
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ying
authors.affiliation: c Department of Infectious Diseases , the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University , Wenzhou , China , and.
authors.forename: Lu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: d Department of Infectious Diseases , the Third Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University , Wenzhou , China.
authors.forename: Weiwei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: c Department of Infectious Diseases , the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University , Wenzhou , China , and.
authors.forename: Youcai
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002252:Carbon Tetrachloride Poisoning / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004149:Dioxoles / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017705:Lignans / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000975:Antioxidants; D004149:Dioxoles; D017705:Lignans; C054125:sesamin
keywords: Anti-inflammatory; NF-kB; antioxidant; hepatic fibrosis; sesamin