Antioxidant activity and protective effects of the Angelica sinensis-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin complex on CCl4-induced hepatic failure in mice

Abstract

Angelica sinensis (Oliv.) Diels (AS) is one of the most popular traditional medicines in China. The components of AS extracts have antioxidant activities and protects against hepatic injury, but minimal solubility in water. The use of 2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD) to complex the ethanolic extract of AS has been reported to increase the aqueous solubility of AS components. The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effects of the AS-HP-β-CD complex on CCl4-induced hepatic failure in mice and evaluate the antioxidant properties of this complex. The results showed that the antioxidant activity of the AS-HP-β-CD complex was increased compared with that of the AS extract in a dose-dependent manner. In the CCl4-treated mouse model, the AS-HP-β-CD complex more effectively reduced the increases in serum aspartate aminotransferase, serum alanine transferase, and hepatic malondialdehyde concentrations than the AS extract. Similarly, positive effects were also observed in histopathological specimens and in liver antioxidant enzyme activities. Therefore, the results suggested that complexing AS extract with HP-β-CD improved the hepatoprotective effects of AS.