Protective Effect Of LONGHUQIHUANG Decoction On Experimental Liver Injury In Mice

OBJECTIVE: This study was undertake to investigate the protective effect against carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) and D-galactosamine (D-GaIN) induced chemical liver injury and bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG)+Lipopolysaccharide(LPS) induced immunological liver injury in mice by LONGHUQIHUANG decoction (LHQHD) and possible mechanisms. METHODS: Acute chemical liver injury of mice were induced by injection of carbontetrachloride(CCl4) and D-aminogalactose (D-GaIN) into peritoneal cavity respectively. Immunized liver injury of mice was induced by bacillus Calmette-Guerin(BCG)+Lipopolysaccharide(LPS). The alanine transaminade (ALT) , aspartate transaminade(AST) level of serum and Surperoxide Dismutase (SOD), malonyldialdehyde (MDA) and nitric oxide(NO) level of liver homogenate were measured in three kinds of liver injury models, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) content of liver homogenate in mice were tested individually in every groups by Radiate immunoadsordent assay. The pathological changes of liver were observed by light-microscopy. Median lethal dose(LD50) of LHQHDadministration by intragastric injection in mice was tested by Bliss method.RESULTS: LHQHD hight , middle and low dose (containing crude herbs 30g, 15g and 7. 5g/kg mice weight respectively) reduce the levels of ALT, AST in CCl4, D-GaIN or BCG + LPS induced liver injury in mice. It was also found that LHQHD decreases MDA and increases the content of SOD during liver injury, but have not obviously effect on NO and TNF-α content of liver homogenate in the mice of CCl4 and D-GaIN induced liver injury. But in the liver injury mice of BCG + LPS, LHQHD was able to decreases the level of TNF- α . Pathologicallly, the degeneration and swollen of hepatocytes were attenuated obviously in LHQHD groups. LD50 of LHQHD in mice was 84. 48±10. 30g/kg.CONCLUSIONS: Pretreatment with LHQHD could protect the mice from chemical and immunological liver injury . The possible mechanisms of its action are related to inhibiting lipid peroxide and cyctokines production.