Objective  To study protective effect of Paecilomyces hepialid compound capsule (PHCC, mainly composed of Paecilomyces hepialid, Lucid ganoderma, Pueraria lobata, and taurine) on acute liver injury (ALI) induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCL4) and alcohol in mice.

  Methods  Totally 100 specific pathogen free Kunming mice were divided into two subgroups for establishment of intragastric administration CCL4 (0.6%, 5 mL/kg body weight BW) or alcohol (50%, 13 mL/kg BW) induced ALI model. The 50 mice in each subgroup were assigned into 5 groups (10 for each group) : a blank control and a model control with intragastric administration of distilled water, and low-, moderate-, and high-PHCC groups with intragastric administration of PHCC at doses of 337.5, 675, and 2025 mg/kg BW once a day continuously for 36 days, respectively. Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) of the mice with CCL4-induced ALI were determined. Contents of malondialdehyde (MDA) , triglyceride (TG) , and reduced glutathione (GSH) in liver tissue of mice with alcohol-induced ALI were measured. Histopathological changes in liver tissue were observed in all the rats.

  Results  The serum ALT and AST of the CCL4-induced ALI mice with moderate- and high-PHCC were significantly lower than those of the model control mice (all P < 0.05). Among the alcohol-induced ALI mice, significantly lower MDA in the mice with moderate- and high-PHCC treatment and TG and in all PHCC treated mice but higher GSH in the mice with moderate- and high-PHCC treatment were detected in comparison with those in the model control mice (P < 0.05 for all). Liver tissue morphology observations of CCL4-induced ALI mice revealed significantly decreased scale for cell necrosis in the mice with moderate- and high-PHCC treatment (P < 0.05), reduced scale for ballooning change in all PHCC treated mice, and declined scale for watery degeneration in high-PHCC treated mice (both P < 0.01) compared to those in the model control mice. Liver cell steatosis was significantly alleviated in the alcohol-induced ALI mice with PHCC treatment compared to that in the model control mice (P < 0.05).

  Conclusion  Paecilomyces hepialid compound capsule has an auxiliary protective effect against acute liver injury induced by carbon tetrachloride and alcohol in mice.