title: The novel role of β-aescin in attenuating CCl4-induced hepatotoxicity in rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  β-Aescin has anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and antiedematous properties.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The present study investigated the hepatoprotective effect and underlying mechanisms of β-aescin in CCl4-induced liver damage.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-five Wistar rats were divided into six groups: normal control, CCl4control, silymarin (50 mg/kg, p.o) and β-aescin (0.9, 1.8 and 3.6 mg/kg, i.p.) treatment for 14 d. CCl4(1 mL/kg, i.p. for 3 d) was administered to produce hepatic damage. Ponderal changes and liver marker enzymes were estimated. Hepatic oxidative and nitrosative stress was estimated by levels of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), glutathione (GSH) and nitrite/nitrate. Serum TGF-β1 and TNF-α were estimated by ELISA technique. Hepatic collagen and histopathological studies were carried out.
  
  
  RESULTS
  β-Aescin (3.6 mg/kg) markedly decreased CCl4-induced increased levels of ALT, AST, ALP (71.77 versus 206.7, 71.39 versus 171.82, 121.20 versus 259 IU/L, respectively), total bilirubin (0.41 versus 1.35 mg/dL), TBARS (2.0 versus 8.83 nmol MDA/mg protein), nitrite/nitrate (352.50 versus 745.15 μg/mL) and increased CCl4-induced decreased GSH levels (0.095 versus 0.048 μmol/mg protein). β-Aescin (3.6 mg/kg) induced focal regenerative changes in liver and markedly decreased TBARS (2.0 versus 8.83 nmol MDA/mg protein), nitrite/nitrate (352.50 versus 745.15 μg/mL), TGF-β1 (92.28 versus 152.1 pg/mL), collagen content (110.75 versus 301.74 μmol/100 mg tissue) and TNF-α (92.82 versus 170.56 pg/mL) when compared with CCl4control.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings suggest that β-aescin has a protective effect on CCl4-induced liver injury, exhibited via its anti-inflammatory, antioxidative, antinitrosative and antifibrotic properties inducing repair regeneration of liver. Hence, it can be used as a promising hepatoprotective agent.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Research, Innovations & Consultancy , IKG Punjab Technical University , Kapurthala , Punjab , India.|b Sri Sai College of Pharmacy, Badhani , Pathankot , Punjab , India.
authors.forename: Harsimran
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.affiliation: c Department of Life Sciences , Punjab Institute of technology, IKG Punjab Technical University , Kapurthala , Punjab , India.
authors.forename: Shabir
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sidhu
authors.affiliation: d Pharmacology Research Laboratory , University Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, UGC Centre of Advanced Study, Punjab University , Chandigarh , India.
authors.forename: Kanwaljit
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chopra
authors.affiliation: b Sri Sai College of Pharmacy, Badhani , Pathankot , Punjab , India.
authors.forename: M U
authors.initials: MU
authors.lastname: Khan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003094:Collagen / Q000032:analysis; D004928:Escin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005978:Glutathione / Q000032:analysis; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D004928:Escin; D003094:Collagen; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride; D005978:Glutathione
keywords: Aesculus hippocastanum; Carbon tetrachloride; Silymarin; antifibrotic; nitrosative stress; oxidative stress