Protective Effect Of Yuganjiedu Decoction On Acute Liver Injury Induced By CCl₄in Rats

Objectives:To investigate the therapeutic effect of yuganjiedu Decoction in rats with CCl4, induced acute liver injury and to explore the possible mechanism related with its protective effects.Methods:Seventy-two female SPF rats were randomized into six groups with12in each group, namely:control group, model group, bifendate group, low-dose group, middle-dose group and high-dose group. Intraperitoneal injection of CCl4at a dose of1ml/kg was administered to the rats except those in the control group to induce acute liver injury. Medications were given orally to each treatment group at the same time, of which the daily dose of Bifendate is33.08mg/kg, and dosage of the three herbal groups was19.43g/kg,38.85g/kg and77.7g/kg respectively. All the medications were given at a volume of10ml/kg, twice a day for two days.48hours later, all the rats were sacrificed with their plasma ALT, AST, TB, MDA and SOD being examined. Paraffin sections of the right lobe were stained with the routine hematoxylin-eosin method and their pathological changes were examined under light microscopy.Results:ALT, AST and TBIL results:after48hours, the ALT, AST, TBIL levels in model group increased significantly, and compared with blank control group, the difference was obviously significant (P<0.05). Except the low dose group,ALT, AST, TBIL levels in Positive drug group and middle-high dosage groups of yuganjiedu Decoction decreased,which compared with model group has more prominently significant (P<0.05);The ALT, AST, TBIL levels in the middle dose group, high dose group,and the positive drug group wasn’t significant (P>0.05).SOD and MDA results:compared with blank control, the model group SOD levels decreased and MDA levels increased, the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05).Except the low dose group,compared with model group, the positive drug group dosage and others groups of yuganjiedu decoction,the SOD levels all decreased and MDA levels all increased, the difference was obviously significant (P<0.05);the SOD and MDA levels in positive drug group, middle dose group and high dose group wasn’t significant (P->0.05).Liver tissue under light microscopy:In model group,the rat liver tissues structure wasn’t clear,hepatic cord arranged irregularly, liver cell swelled,and necrosis,Cytoplasm loose and fat change,inflammatory cell infiltrated;in the low dose group local liver cell swelled,focally fat changed and little inflammatory cell infiltrated;in positive drug group,middle dose group and high dose group/the liver cell swell,necrosis and fat chang were slightly,Liver cell regenerated little, three groups has not obivious difference.Conclusions:yuganjiedu Decoction middle and high dosage groups could lower down the elevated plasma ALT, AST and TB levels in CCl4induced hepatotoxic rats and decrease the size of degeneration and necrosis in the liver due to CCl4hepatotoxicity, indicating its prominent curative effects. The protective effect is most obvious in medium-high dose herbal groups with no statistical difference to that of Silibinin a known hepatic protective agent. The mechanism is thought to be related with its anti-oxidative function as is shown through the results of plasma MDA and SOD.