Protective effects of Wu-Ling-Shen (Xylaria nigripes) on carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatotoxicity in mice

Abstract

Wu-Ling-Shen, a lesser study medicinal fungus (Xylaria nigripes), is popular for treating insomnia and trauma in the traditional Chinese medicine. In this study, our aim was to examine the protective effects of X. nigripes extract on carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄)-induced acute hepatotoxicity in mice, and its content of polyphenolic constituents. The X. nigripes aqueous extract (XN-T) at 500 and 1000 mg/kg was given intragastrically to mice for 9 consecutive days, followed by receiving subcutaneously 2 mL/kg of 40% CCl₄ in olive oil to induce hepatotoxicity. Blood and liver tissues were collected for biochemical and histological analyses. Analysis of polyphenolic compounds was performed by RP-HPLC. Results showed that XN-T at 500 and 1000 mg/kg significantly prevented the elevation of serum glutamate oxalate transaminase (sGOT), serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase (sGPT), and liver thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) levels, and caused an increase in the liver superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) concentrations, as well as serum total antioxidant activity in the CCl₄-induced hepatotoxicated mice. It was as good as silymarin (100 mg/kg) in normalization of oxidative stress parameters. Furthermore, liver histological observation also showed an obvious amelioration in the liver conditions in XN-T-treated animals. XN-T was found to contain a higher level of epicatechin, catechin, and p-coumaric acid. These results conclude that XN exerts effective protection against CCl₄-induced liver injury in mice, and its mechanism of action could be through the effects of antioxidants on reducing the oxidative stress.

Keywords::

• Wu-Ling-Shen
• Xylaria nigripes
• hepatoprotection
• CCl₄
• polyphenols

Acknowledgement

The authors would like thank the National Science Council of Taiwan for funding the study under grant number NSC 95-2313-B-002-121-MY3.

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflict of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.