Hepatoprotective effect of Pyracantha fortuneana polysaccharides on liver injury induced by CCI4 in rats

Objective To study hepatoprotective effect of Pyracantha fortuneana polysaccharides on liver injury induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCI₄) in rats.Methods Fifty Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups:control group,CCI₄ group,biphenyldicarboxylate pills (BP) group,and 200 and 400 mg/kg Pyracantha fortuneana polysaccharides groups.The rats of control group were given olive oil by intraperitoneal injection (IP) and those of other groups were given 30% CCI₄ by IP,respectively.The rats of BP group were given BP (200 mg/kg) by gavage and the rats of Pyracantha fortuneana polysaccharides groups were given Pyracantha fortuneana polysaccharides of 200 and 400 mg/kg by gavage,respectively.Five weeks after the treatments,the contents of serum alanine transferase (ALT) and aspartate transaminase (AST) were determined; the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and the activity of total antioxidative capacity (T-AOC) in liver were measured.The mRNA expression levels of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor (Nrf2) and catalase (CAT) were detected with real time PCR.Results The serum ALT (221.13±28.46 and 190.31 ±27.32 U/L)and AST (286.4±31.57 and 224.6±30.52 U/L)decreased remarkably in the rats of 200 and 400 mg/kg Pyracantha fortuneana polysaccharides groups compared to those of the rats in CCI₄ group (521.42±68.21 and 589.17±39.44 U/L) (all P<0.05).The MDA (23.29±4.38 and 18.67±3.28 nmol/mg pro) in liver of the rats of 200 and 400 mg/kg Pyracantha fortuneana polysaccharides groups decreased remarkably compared to that of rats in the CCI₄ group (both P<0.05).The T-AOC (106.32±14.23 and 152.31±16.12 U/mL) in liver of the rats in 200 and 400 mg/kg Pyracantha fortuneana polysaccharides groups increased significantly compared to that (73.15±9.23 U/mL)of the rats in CCI₄ group (both P<0.05).The mRNA expression levels of Nrf2 and CAT increased in the liver of rats in Pyracantha fortuneana polysaccharides groups compared with those of the rats in CCI₄ group.Conclusion Pyracantha fortuneana polysaccharides administration is effective in attenuating CCI₄-induced liver injury and the effects may be related to the enhancement of antioxidant activity of Pyracantha fortuneana polysaccharides in rats.