Carbon Tetrachloride-Induced Hepatotoxicity and Its Amelioration by Agaricus Blazei Murrill Extract in a Mouse Model
Resource
IN VIVO v.25 n.6 pp.971-976
Journal
IN
Journal Volume
VIVO
Journal Issue
n.6
Pages
971-976
Date Issued
2011
Date
2011
Author(s)
CHANG, JIN-BIOU
WU, MING-FANG
YANG, YI-YUAN
LEU, SY-JYE
CHEN, YUNG-LIANG
YU, CHUN-SHU
YU, CHIEH-CHIH
CHANG, SHU-JEN
LU, HSU-FENG
CHUNG, JING-GUNG
Abstract
This study was conducted to evaluate the hepatoprotective effect of Agaricus blazei Murrill extract (ABM) against experimentally induced carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) toxicity in male BALB/c mice. The experiments included a normal group (no induction by CCl4), CCl4-induction group (with hepatotoxicity by CCl4 and without treatment) and experimental groups with low dose (200 mg) or high dose (2, 000 mg) of ABM extract (per kilogram mouse weight). All groups other than the normal group were treated with intraperitoneal injections of CCl4 twice a week. Mice were tube-fed with experimental ABM extracts or double-distilled water, accordingly, on the remaining four days each week. The whole experimental protocol lasted 8 weeks; blood and liver samples were collected for biochemical and tissue histochemical analysis. Only administration of a high dose of ABM to treatment groups resulted in a significant abrogation of CCL4-induced increase of serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine transaminase (ALT). Post- treatment with ABM also did not significantly reverse the alterations of glutathione peroxidase (GSHPx) and catalase. Both high- and low-dose ABM treatment reduced hepatic necrosis and fibrosis caused by CCl4 in comparison with the CCl4 control group in the histochemical analyses. Our results suggest that the ABM extract affects the levels of ALT and AST in mice.
Subjects
Agaricus blazei Murrill extract
carbon tetrachloride
CCl4
BALB/c mice
antioxidant enzyme activities