Protective Effect of Penta-acetyl Geniposide on Acute Liver Injury Induced By D-galactosamine in Mice

Penta-acetyl geniposide ((Ac)5GP), an herbal derivative prepared from Gardenia Fructus geniposide, decreased the DNA damage and hepatocarcinogenesis induced by aflatoxin B1 (AFB1). The present study was carried out to further evaluate the protective effect of (Ac)5GP on liver injury induced by D-galactosamine (DGalN). D-GalN (400 mg/kg) was given to mice by intraperitoneal injection, while (Ac)5GP were orally administered by gastric gavage. Spectrophotometrical method was used to measure activities of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) in serum and superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), malondialdehyde (MDA) in hepatic tissue. Hepatic histological structure was observed under light microscopy. The features of acute liver injury were observed in D-GalN-treated mice. (Ac)5GP, similar to silymarin, decreased the elevated serum levels of ALT, AST and MDA and increased the reduced activities of SOD and GSH-Px induced by D-GalN. (Ac)5GP was also showed to be more effective than GP in reversing these abnormal changes and the levels of (Ac)5GP on MDA and SOD showed a dose-effect relationship. These biochemical observations were also supplemented by histopathological observations of the liver sections. It was concluded from the results that (Ac)5GP can produce protective effect on acute liver injury induced by D-GalN via an antioxidative mechanism. Therefore, (Ac)5GP may be developed as an efficient hepato-protective agent.