Abstract
The present work investigated the hepatoprotective role of exopolysaccharides (EPS) isolated from the mushroom Pleurotus geesteranus with respect to alcohol-induced liver injury in mice. Based on a physico-chemical analysis, the EPS produced by Pleurotus geesteranus was identified as a heteropolysaccharide with α-glycosidic bond. The results revealed that prophylactic application of the EPS reduces detrimental alcoholic effects on the liver. This observation was followed by decreased levels of total cholesterol, triglycerides, CYP2E1 and pro-inflammatory mediators (TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β, COX-2, NO and iNOS) in the liver homogenates, suggesting that the EPS exhibits anti-inflammatory and hepatoprotective effects. Moreover, the increased activity of hepatic enzymes (superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and catalase) and reduced lipid peroxidation status indicated that the antioxidative effect of the EPS contributes to alleviation of liver injury. Therefore, this study reports that the EPS produced by Pleurotus geesteranus could be considered a potential natural drug or functional food supplement for the prevention of liver damage.
Highlights
Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) has become an important public health issue around the world, with a death rate of 20%1–3
There is only one peak (Fig. 1A), which was purified by DEAE-52 cellulose column chromatography, and the EPS consisted of neutral polysaccharides since it was eluted by distilled water[31]
We found that EPS supplementation yielded potential hepatoprotective effects reflected by a decrease in TC, TG, CYP2E1 and inflammatory mediators (TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β, COX-2, nitric oxide (NO) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS)), increasing alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) and the hepatic enzyme activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), GSH-Px, CAT and T-AOC as well as down-regulating the contents of MDA and LPO
Summary
Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) has become an important public health issue around the world, with a death rate of 20%1–3. Breakdown of acetaldehyde by CYP2E1 and ALDH in the mitochondria generates reactive oxygen/nitrogen species, which disturbs the redox homeostasis and causes oxidative stress[10,11]. These free radicals can increase lipid peroxidation by reacting with cellular unsaturated lipids, leading to hepatocyte apoptosis and necrosis, which results in liver injury[12]. As the most abundant metabolites of mushrooms, polysaccharides have gained much attentions owing to various biological activities including hepatoprotective[21], anti-oxidative[25], anti-inflammatory[26], antitumour[27], antiproliferative[28] and antihyperlipidaemic effects[29], etc. The data regarding the chemical structure, hepatoprotective and anti-inflammatory effects of the EPS from P. geesteranus are limited
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