Abstract
Qi-Ge decoction (QGD), which is derived from the Huangqi Gegen decoction, contains three traditional Chinese herbs: Astragalus membranaceus (Huangqi), Pueraria lobata (Gegen), and Citri Reticulatae Blanco Pericarpium (Chenpi). Gastric mucosal damage caused by ethanol was prevented and alleviated by QGD. However, the role of QGD in protecting the liver from toxins has not been reported. High-performance liquid chromatography with diode-array detection was used to qualitatively analyze QGD. Positive control (silymarin 100 mg/kg/day), QGD (20, 10, or 5 g/kg/day), and Nrf2 inhibitor brusatol (0.4 mg/kg/2 d) were administered to rats for 7 days, and then, liver injury was induced by injecting 2 mL/kg 25% CCl4. After 24 h, blood and liver were collected for analysis and evaluation. QGD was found to contain 12 main components including calycosin, puerarin, and hesperidin. QGD treatment significantly reduced liver damage and decreased serum alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and lactate dehydrogenase activities. QGD increased superoxide dismutase and catalase activities, and glutathione levels, but decreased malondialdehyde levels in livers from CCl4-treated rats. Compared to rats treated with CCl4 alone, after QGD administration, mRNA and protein levels of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and heme oxygenase-1 were increased, while those of Kelch-like ECH-related protein 1 (Keap1) and cytochrome P450 (CYP)2E1 were decreased. However, these improvements in QGD were reversed by brusatol. In conclusion, QGD can achieve its hepatoprotective effect through an antioxidant mechanism by activating the Nrf2 pathway.
Highlights
An important role of the liver is detoxification [1]
nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), Kelch-like ECH-related protein 1 (Keap1), cytochrome P450 (CYP) 2E1, and HO1 antibodies were purchased from Proteintech (Rosemont, IL, USA)
Serum ALT, AST, and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels were measured to assess the severity of liver injury and the hepatoprotective effects of Qi-Ge decoction (QGD). e results (Figures 2(a)– 2(c)) showed that activities of serum ALT, AST, and LDH were significantly increased 24 h after induction of liver injury by CCl4 (P < 0.05)
Summary
An important role of the liver is detoxification [1]. Dysfunction of detoxification and the metabolic pathways of the liver lead to liver injury and various liver diseases such as hepatitis, fatty liver disease, and fibrosis [2,3,4]. Drugs used to treat liver injury are limited in efficacy or elicit many adverse reactions [5, 6]. E drug pair Astragalus membranaceus (Huangqi)Pueraria lobata (Gegen) was originally described in “Zhengzhihuibu,” written during the Qing Dynasty of China. Many Chinese doctors believe that this drug pair exerts important detoxification and hepatoprotective effects [7]. Under the guidance of traditional Chinese medicine theory, Qi-Ge decoction (QGD), consisting of the Huangqi Gegen drug pair and Citri Reticulatae Blanco Pericarpium (Chenpi), has been used as a clinically effective formula for treating liver damage diseases for many years in China [8, 9]. A previous study has shown that QGD exerted hepatoprotective effects by reducing serum ALT and AST levels in a liver injury mice model [10]
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