Hepatoprotective and antioxidant effect of Bauhinia hookeri extract against carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatotoxicity in mice and characterization of its bioactive compounds by HPLC-PDA-ESI-MS/MS

Biomed Res Int. 2014:2014:245171. doi: 10.1155/2014/245171. Epub 2014 May 14.

Abstract

The hepatoprotective and antioxidant activity of Bauhinia hookeri ethanol extract (BHE) against CCl4-induced liver injury was investigated in mice. BHE was administered (500 and 1000 mg/kg/day) along with CCl4 for 6 weeks. The hepatic marker enzymes: alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were determined in the serum. The antioxidant parameters: glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione transferase (GST), and malondialdehyde (MDA) were estimated in the liver homogenate. BHE treatment significantly inhibited the CCl4-induced increase in ALT (44 and 64%), AST (36 and 46%), ALP (28 and 42%), and MDA (39 and 51%) levels at the tested doses, respectively. Moreover, BHE treatment markedly increased the activity of antioxidant parameters GSH, GPx, GR, GST, and SOD. Histological observations confirmed the strong hepatoprotective activity. These results suggest that a dietary supplement of BHE could exert a beneficial effect against oxidative stress and various liver diseases by enhancing the antioxidant defense status, reducing lipid peroxidation, and protecting against the pathological changes of the liver. The hepatoprotective activity of BHE is mediated, at least in part, by the antioxidant effect of its constituents. The active constituents of BHE were identified by HPLC-PDA-ESI/MS/MS.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antioxidants / administration & dosage*
  • Antioxidants / chemistry
  • Bauhinia / chemistry
  • Carbon Tetrachloride / toxicity
  • Carbon Tetrachloride Poisoning / drug therapy*
  • Carbon Tetrachloride Poisoning / metabolism
  • Carbon Tetrachloride Poisoning / pathology
  • Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / drug therapy*
  • Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / metabolism
  • Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / pathology
  • Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid
  • Lipid Peroxidation
  • Mice
  • Oxidative Stress
  • Phytotherapy
  • Plant Extracts / administration & dosage*
  • Plant Extracts / chemistry
  • Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Substances

  • Antioxidants
  • Plant Extracts
  • Carbon Tetrachloride