RESUMO
In this study, we investigated the hepatoprotective effects of an ethanol extract of Sophora flavescens Aiton (ESF) on an alcohol-induced liver disease mouse model. Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) was caused by the administration of ethanol to male C57/BL6 mice who were given a Lieber-DeCarli liquid diet, including ethanol. The alcoholic fatty liver disease mice were orally administered ESF (100 and 200 mg/kg bw/day) or silymarin (50 mg/kg bw/day), which served as a positive control every day for 16 days. The findings suggest that ESF enhances hepatoprotective benefits by significantly decreasing serum levels of aspartate transaminase (AST) and alanine transaminase (ALT), markers for liver injury. Furthermore, ESF alleviated the accumulation of triglyceride (TG) and total cholesterol (TC), increased serum levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione (GSH), and improved serum alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) activity in the alcoholic fatty liver disease mice model. Cells and organisms rely on the Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1- Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Keap1-Nrf2) system as a critical defensive mechanism in response to oxidative stress. Therefore, Nrf2 plays an important role in ALD antioxidant responses, and its level is decreased by increased reactive oxidation stress (ROS) in the liver. ESF increased Nrf2, which was decreased in ethanol-damaged livers. Additionally, four polyphenol compounds were identified through a qualitative analysis of the ESF using LC-MS/MS. This study confirmed ESF's antioxidative and hangover-elimination effects and suggested the possibility of using Sophora flavescens Aiton (SF) to treat ALD.
RESUMO
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic inflammatory condition caused by the disruption of the intestinal barrier. The intestinal barrier is maintained by tight junctions (TJs), which sustain intestinal homeostasis and prevent pathogens from entering the microbiome and mucosal tissues. Ziziphus jujuba Miller (Z. jujuba) is a natural substance that has been used in traditional medicine as a therapy for a variety of diseases. However, in IBD, the efficacy of Z. jujuba is unknown. Therefore, we evaluated ZJB in Caco2 cells and a dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced mouse model to demonstrate its efficacy in IBD. Z. jujuba extracts were prepared using 70% ethanol and were named ZJB. ZJB was found to be non-cytotoxic and to have excellent antioxidant effects. We confirmed its anti-inflammatory properties via the down-regulation of inflammatory factors, including inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). To evaluate the effects of ZJB on intestinal barrier function and TJ improvement, the trans-epithelial electrical resistance (TEER) and fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran 4 kDa (FITC-Dextran 4) permeability were assessed. The TEER value increased by 61.389% and permeability decreased by 27.348% in the 200 µg/mL ZJB group compared with the 50 ng/mL IL-6 group after 24 h. Additionally, ZJB alleviated body weight loss, reduced the disease activity index (DAI) score, and induced colon shortening in 5% DSS-induced mice; inflammatory cytokines, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and interleukin (IL)-6 were down-regulated in the serum. TJ proteins, such as Zonula occludens (ZO)-1 and occludin, were up-regulated by ZJB in an impaired Caco2 mouse model. Additionally, according to the liquid chromatography results, in tandem with mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis, seven active ingredients were detected in ZJB. In conclusion, ZJB down-regulated inflammatory factors, protected intestinal barrier function, and increased TJ proteins. It is thus a safe, natural substance with the potential to be used as a therapeutic agent in IBD treatment.