Ethanol extracts of Scutellaria baicalensis protect against lipopolysaccharide-induced acute liver injury in mice

• Published in: Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine
• Main Authors: Hai Nguyen Thanh, Hue Pham Thi Minh, Tuan Anh Le, Huong Duong Thi Ly, Tung Nguyen Huu, Loi Vu Duc, Thu Dang Kim, Tung Bui Thanh
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2015
• Subjects: Scutellaria baicalensis; Lipopolysaccharide; Liver injury; Cytokine; Nuclear factor-κB; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Biology (General); QH301-705.5; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apjtb.2015.07.007; https://doaj.org/article/99999e8c164d42b18438ab7357466866

Objective: To investigated the protective potential of ethanol extracts of Scutellaria baicalensis (S. baicalensis) against lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced liver injury. Methods: Dried roots of S. baicalensis were extracted with ethanol and concentrated to yield a dry residue. Mice were administered 200 mg/kg of the ethanol extracts orally once daily for one week. Animals were subsequently administered a single dose of LPS (5 mg/kg of body weight, intraperitoneal injection). Both protein and mRNA levels of cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukin-1β, and interleukin-6 in liver tissues were evaluated by ELISA assay and quantitative PCR. Cyclooxygenase-2, inducible nitric oxide synthase, and nuclear factor-κB protein levels in liver tissues were analyzed by western blotting. Results: Liver injury induced by LPS significantly increased necrosis factor alpha, interleukin-1β, interleukin-6, cyclooxygenase-2, inducible nitric oxide synthase, and nuclear factor-κB in liver tissues. Treatment with ethanol extracts of S. baicalensis prevented all of these observed changes associated with LPS-induced injury in liver mice. Conclusions: Our study showed that S. baicalensis is potentially protective against LPS-induced liver injury in mice.