Rosmarinic acid exerts anti-inflammatory effect and relieves oxidative stress via Nrf2 activation in carbon tetrachloride-induced liver damage.

Background: Rosmarinic acid (RA) has biological and pharmaceutical properties and shows hepatoprotective potential. However, the hepatoprotective mechanism of RA needs to be further elucidated in vivo and in vitro. Objective: This study was aimed to evaluate the protective effect of RA on carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced liver injury and elucidate the hepatoprotective mechanism of RA in vivo and in vitro. Design: In vivo, the mice were orally administrated with RA (10, 20, and 40 mg/kg bw) daily for 28 consecutive days, and 1% CCl4 (5 mL/kg bw, dissolved in peanut oil) was used to induce liver injury. In vitro, the big rat liver (BRL) hepatocytes were pretreated with RA (0.2, 0.4, and 0.8 mg/mL) for 3 h, and then the hepatocytes were treated with CC14 (final concentration, 14 mM) for 3 h to induce cell injury. The related indexes, including hepatic function, oxidative stress, protein expression of nuclear-factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) pathway, inflammation, histopathological change, hepatocyte apoptosis, and mitochondrial membrane potential, were evaluated. Results: Oral administration of RA to mice considerably decreased the CCl4-induced elevation of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), triacylglycerols (TG), total cholesterol (TC), total bilirubin (TBIL), hepatic reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO), 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and interleukin-8 (IL-8). RA also increased the levels of hepatic glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) and the protein expressions of Nrf2, quinine oxidoreductase (NQO1), and heme oxygenease-1 (HO-1). Histopathological examinations indicated that RA (20 and 40 mg/kg bw) alleviated the liver tissue injury induced by CCl4. Moreover, RA inhibited the hepatocyte apoptosis caused by CCl4 based on TUNEL assay. In vitro, RA pretreatment remarkably recovered the cell viability and reduced the CCl4-induced elevation of AST, ALT, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), ROS, and 8-OHdG. Immunohistochemistry staining demonstrated that pretreatment with RA markedly inhibited the expression of IL-6, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), and Caspase-3 in CCl4-treated hepatocytes. Additionally, RA pretreatment significantly decreased the elevation of mitochondrial membrane potential in CCl4-treated hepatocytes. Conclusions: RA exerted a protective effect against CCl4-induced liver injury in mice through activating Nrf2 signaling pathway, reducing antioxidant damage, suppressing inflammatory response, and inhibiting hepatocyte apoptosis. RA could attenuate BRL hepatocyte ROS production, DNA oxidative damage, inflammatory response, and apoptosis induced by CCl4 exposure.

Bilateral pulmonary embolism without deep venous thrombosis was observed after knee arthroscopy: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Symptomatic pulmonary embolism (PE) after knee arthroscopy is extremely rare. If the embolism is not treated promptly, the patient may die. Bilateral pulmonary embolism with associated pulmonary infarct without concomitant deep vein thrombosis has never been reported following routine knee arthroscopy. CASE PRESENTATION: A 50-year-old female patient with no other risk factors other than hypertension, obesity, varicose veins in the ipsilateral lower extremities and elevated triglyceride (TG) presented to our ward. She had experienced sudden chest tightness, polypnea and fainting after going to the bathroom the morning of the second postoperative day and received emergency medical attention. Colour ultrasonography of the extremities showed no deep vein thrombosis. Lung computed tomography angiography (CTA) showed multiple embolisms scattered in both pulmonary artery branches. Thus, emergency interventional thrombolysis therapy was performed, followed by postoperative symptomatic treatment with drugs with thrombolytic, anticoagulant and protective activities. One week later, lung CTA showed a significant improvement in the PEs compared with those in the previous examination. Since the aetiology of PE and no obvious symptoms were discerned, the patient was discharged. CONCLUSION: Although knee arthroscopy is a minimally invasive and quick procedure, the risk factors for PE in the perioperative period should be considered and fully evaluated to enhance PE detection. Moreover, a timely diagnosis and effective treatment are important measures to prevent and cure PE after knee arthroscopy. Finally, clear guidelines regarding VTE thromboprophylaxis following knee arthroscopy in patients with a low risk of VTE development are needed.

Protective effect of free phenolics from Lycopus lucidus Turcz. root on carbon tetrachloride-induced liver injury in vivo and in vitro.

Protective effect of free phenolics from Lycopus lucidus Turcz. root (FPLR) on CCl4-induced hepatotoxicity in vivo and in vitro was first evaluated. Oral administration of FPLR (100 mg/kg bw) to mice significantly reduced the CCl4-induced elevation of serum alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, triacylglycerols, total cholesterol, and total bilirubin. FPLR also increased the hepatic GSH contents and antioxidant enzyme activities of SOD and CAT and decreased the hepatic MDA level. Histopathological examinations further confirmed that the FPLR could protect the liver from CCl4-induced damage. Further research indicated that FPLR prevented the DNA fragmentation caused by CCl4 based on TUNEL assay. Moreover, immunohistochemistry staining demonstrated that pretreatment with FPLR significantly inhibited the elevation of hepatic TNF-α, IL-6, IL-8, iNOS, COX-2, and Caspase-3 in CCl4-treated mice. In vitro experiments showed that FPLR remarkably reduced BRL hepatocyte apoptosis and damage caused by CCl4 treatment. These findings indicate that FPLR could be developed as a functional food or medication for therapeutic purpose and prevention of hepatic injury.