The Protective Effect of Stauntonia Chinensis Polysaccharide on CCl(4)-induced Acute Liver Injuries in Mice

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the protective effect of Stauntonia chinensis polysaccharides (SCP) on carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4)) induced acute liver injuries in mice. METHODS: Kunming mice were randomly divided into three groups: the control group, the pathological model group, and the SCP group. The SCP group was further divided into three subgroups based on SCP treatment: Low dosage (50 mg/kg), medium dosage (100 mg/kg) and high dosage (200 mg/kg). After being fed for 7 days, mixed-edible-oil solution was intraperitoneally injected into the control group, while the other two groups were injected with 0.15% CCl(4) mixed with mixed-edible-oil. Sera were collected from mice 24 h later to determine the activity of serum alanine transaminase (ALT). Mice were then sacrificed to prepare liver homogenate. Levels of liver malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and nitric oxide (NO) were determined. Pathological changes in livers were also analyzed. RESULTS: SCP significantly reduced the ALT activity in the serum and inhibited the decrease of serum GSH, GSH-PX and SOD and rose the levels of MDA and NO (P<0.05-0.01). This lessened the pathological damage to the liver tissues. CONCLUSION: SCP protects against CCl(4)-induced acute liver injuries in mice.