Hepatoprotective Activity of Licorice Water Extract against Cadmium-Induced Toxicity in Rats
Open Access
- 1 January 2009
- journal article
- website
- Published by Hindawi Limited in Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine
- Vol. 6 (2), 195-201
- https://doi.org/10.1093/ecam/nem078
Abstract
Licorice is commonly used as a cure for digestive disorders and as a detoxification agent in East Asia. This study investigated the protective effect of licorice water extract against cadmium (CdCl2, Cd)-induced liver toxicity in rats. To induce acute toxicity, Cd (4 mg/kg body weight) was dissolved in normal saline and intravenously (i.v.) injected into rats. The rats then received either a vehicle or licorice water extract (50, 100 mg/kg/day) for 3 days, and were subsequently exposed to a single injection of Cd 24 h after the last licorice/vehicle treatment. Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were significantly increased by Cd treatment. In contrast, pretreatment with licorice reduced ALT, AST and LDH. In histopathological analysis, licorice decreased the central necrosis around central veins, the peripheral hemorrhage around portal triads, the percentage of degenerative hepatic regions (%/mm2hepatic parenchyma) and the number of degenerative hepatic cells (N/100 hepatic cells). Licorice also inhibited the increment of Bad (a BH3 domain-containing protein) translocation by Cd in liver cells. These results demonstrate that licorice could have a hepatoprotective effect by inhibiting the translocation of Bad to the mitochondria in Cd-intoxificated rats.Keywords
Funding Information
- Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy
This publication has 50 references indexed in Scilit:
- Liquiritigenin, an aglycone of liquiritin in Glycyrrhizae radix, prevents acute liver injuries in rats induced by acetaminophen with or without buthionine sulfoximineChemico-Biological Interactions, 2006
- Chemopreventive activity of glycyrrhizin on lead acetate mediated hepatic oxidative stress and its hyperproliferative activity in Wistar ratsChemico-Biological Interactions, 2006
- Glycyrrhizae Radix attenuates peroxynitrite-induced renal oxidative damage through inhibition of protein nitrationFree Radical Research, 2005
- Rat liver glutathione S-transferase activity stimulation following acute cadmium or manganese intoxicationToxicology, 2004
- Combination Effects of Herbs in a Multi-herbal Formula: Expression of Juzen-taiho-to's Immuno-modulatory Activity on the Intestinal Immune SystemEvidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2004
- HEPATOPROTECTIVE EFFECTS OF 18β-GLYCYRRHETINIC ACID ON CARBON TETRACHLORIDE-INDUCED LIVER INJURY: INHIBITION OF CYTOCHROME P450 2E1 EXPRESSIONPharmacological Research, 2002
- Cadmium distribution and toxicity in tissues of small rodentsMicroscopy Research and Technique, 2001
- Dexamethasone Prevents Acute Cadmium-Induced Hepatic Injury but Exacerbates Kidney Dysfunction in RabbitsToxicology and Applied Pharmacology, 2001
- The Antagonistic Effect of Chlorpromazine on Cadmium ToxicityToxicology and Applied Pharmacology, 1999
- EVALUATION OF TESTS USED TO SCREEN PATIENTS WITH LIVER DISORDERSPrimary Care: Clinics in Office Practice, 1996