Protective Effects of Crude Polysaccharide in Insect Tea against Carbon Tetrachloride-induced Hepatic Damage in Mice

Abstract:

In this study, the protective effects of crude polysaccharides in insect tea (CPIT) against hepatic damage were investigated. Following treatment with CPIT, the serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), malondialdehyde (MDA) decreased and the glutathione (GSH) level increased in mice with carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced hepatic damage. CPIT also decreased the MDA and triglyceride (TG) levels and increased the GSH level in the hepatic tissues of mice with CCl4-induced hepatic damage. In addition, these effects were more pronounced following 100 mg/kg CPIT treatment and were similar to those of the common hepatic therapeutic drug, silymarin. The levels of serum cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-6, IL-12, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and interferon (IFN)-γ in CPIT-treated mice were lower than those of the control group, and the levels were similar to those of the normal and silymarin treatment groups. Histopathological results also showed that CPIT could reduce the CCl4-induced hepatic damage and protect the liver cells in mice. The inflammation-related genes, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 were down-regulated in CPIT treated mice, and were lower than that in the control group. The mRNA expressions of iNOS and COX-2 were further down-regulated by CPIT (100 mg/kg) compared to that by 50 mg/kg CPIT treatment. These experimental results have shown that CPIT had a good protective effect against hepatic damage.