Inhibitory effects of Curcumae Radix carbonisata-based carbon dots against liver fibrosis induced by carbon tetrachloride in mice

Abstract

As a processed product of traditional Chinese medicine Curcumae Radix, Curcumae Radix Carbonisata (CRC) has been widely used in the treatment of liver diseases in ancient medical books. In this study, novel carbon dots (CDs) extending from 1.0 to 4.5 nm were separated from fluid extricates of CRC. Meanwhile, a liver fibrosis model induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄) was utilized to determine the inhibitory effects of CRC-CDs against liver fibrosis. The results exhibited the CRC-CDs with a quantum yield of 1.34% have a significant inhibitory effect on CCl₄-induced liver fibrosis, as demonstrated by improving hepatocyte degeneration and necrosis, inflammatory cell infiltration and fibrotic tissue hyperplasia, downregulating the levels of alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), total bilirubin (TBIL), direct bilirubin (DBIL), total bile acid (TBA), triglyceride (TG), tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-1β in the serum, upregulating the contents of superoxide dismutase (SOD), reduced glutathione (GSH), and downregulating the concentration of malondialdehyde (MDA), which lays an important foundation for the development of CRC-CDs as a novel drug for the treatment of liver fibrosis, and provide a certain experimental basis for the clinical application of CRC-CDs in the future.

Graphical Abstract

Keywords:

• Curcumae radix carbonisata
• carbon dots
• liver fibrosis
• carbon tetrachloride
• inhibitory effect

Author contributions

YZ and HQ designed the study. YZ, HK and YL performed the research. YZ, HK and YZ analyzed the data. YZ wrote the manuscript, which was revised by YL. All authors contributed to editorial changes in the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript. YZ and HQ confirm the authenticity of all the raw data.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s)

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the basic research funds for central universities and colleges [grant no. 2019-JYB-TD-001].