Baicalein Reduces Liver Injury Induced by Myocardial Ischemia and Reperfusion.
Baicalein is a component of the root of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi, which has traditionally been used to treat liver disease in China. In the present study, we investigated baicalein' ability to reduce the liver injury induced by myocardial ischemia and reperfusion (I/R). Myocardial I/R was induced in this experiment by a 40[Formula: see text]min occlusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery and a 3[Formula: see text]h reperfusion in rats. The induced myocardial I/R significantly increased the serum levels of aspartate transaminase (AST) and alanine transaminase (ALT), indicating the presence of liver injury. Hepatic apoptosis was significantly increased. The serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-[Formula: see text] (TNF-[Formula: see text]), interleukin-1[Formula: see text] (IL-1[Formula: see text]), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were significantly elevated, as was the TNF-[Formula: see text] level in the liver. Intravenous pretreatment with baicalein (3, 10, or 30[Formula: see text]mg/kg) 10[Formula: see text]min before myocardial I/R significantly reduced the serum level increase of AST and ALT, apoptosis in the liver, and the elevation of TNF-[Formula: see text], IL-1[Formula: see text], and IL-6 levels. Moreover, baicalein increased Bcl-2 and decreased Bax in the liver. Phosphorylation of the prosurvival kinases, including Akt and extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2 (ERK1/2), was also increased. In conclusion, we found that baicalein can reduce the liver injury induced by myocardial I/R. The underlying mechanisms are likely related to the inhibition of the extrinsic and intrinsic apoptotic pathways, possibly via the inhibition of TNF-[Formula: see text] production, the modulation of Bcl-2 and Bax, and the activation of Akt and ERK1/2. Our findings may provide a rationale for the application of baicalein or traditional Chinese medicine containing large amounts of baicalein to prevent liver injury in acute myocardial infarction and cardiac surgery.
* Division of Cardiovascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, Taipei Veterans General Hospital and National Yang-Ming, University School of Medicine Taipei, Taiwan.|‡ Institute of Clinical Medicine, National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.
Chang-Chi
CC
Lai
‡ Institute of Clinical Medicine, National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.|¶ Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.|∥ Cardiovascular Research Center, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Po-Hsun
PH
Huang
† Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital and National Yang-Ming, University School of Medicine Taipei, Taiwan.
An-Han
AH
Yang
§ Institute of Hospital and Health Care Administration, National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.
Shu-Chiung
SC
Chiang
* Division of Cardiovascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, Taipei Veterans General Hospital and National Yang-Ming, University School of Medicine Taipei, Taiwan.|‡ Institute of Clinical Medicine, National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.
Chia-Yu
CY
Tang
** Department of Physical Education and Health, University of Taipei Taipei, Taiwan.
Kuo-Wei
KW
Tseng
* Division of Cardiovascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, Taipei Veterans General Hospital and National Yang-Ming, University School of Medicine Taipei, Taiwan.
Cheng-Hsiung
CH
Huang
D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D044950:Flavanones / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000097:blood; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000150:complications*; D015428:Myocardial Reperfusion Injury / Q000150:complications*; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D031364:Scutellaria baicalensis; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood
D015415:Biomarkers; D044950:Flavanones; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D015850:Interleukin-6; D010936:Plant Extracts; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; C499814:Scutellaria baicalensis extract; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; C006680:baicalein; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3
Acute Liver Injury; Apoptosis; Baicalein; Myocardial Ischemia Andeperfusion; Prosurvival Kinases