Hepatoprotective Effect of an <i>Antrodia cinnamomea</i> Product Via a Novel Process on Carbon Tetrachloride-Induced Hepatotoxicity in Rats

Abstract

<i>Antrodia cinnamomea</i>, causing a brown heart rot of <i>Cinnamomum kanehirai</i> Hay. endemic to Taiwan, was reported to have several biological activities for treating liver diseases, inflammation, tumors, <i>et al</i>. It was believed that wild or wood-cultured <i>A.cinnamomea</i> on <i>C.kanehirai</i> Hay. was better than by other means. However, <i>C.kanehirai</i> Hay. was rare and expensive, that resulted in a higher price of wild or wood-cultured <i>A.cinnamomea</i>. Hence, a novel process was developed to spray solid-state-cultured <i>A.cinnamomea</i> extracts on wood-cultured <i>A.cinnamomea</i> powder to make a high quality and low price product. The purpose of the study was to evaluate its hepatoprotection against carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatotoxicity in rats. Results revealed that aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) of Sprague Dawley rats administered 20% carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄) twice a week, when the rats was also administered 413.4 or 1033.5 mg/kg body weight (BW) <i>A.cinnamomea</i> daily for 8 weeks, were significantly reduced in serum. Administration of 1033.5 mg/kg BW <i>A.cinnamomea</i> daily would not only reduce the rats’ liver and spleen swelling, liver fibrosis, and level of hydroxyproline, but increase activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, and glutathione. In conclusion, the <i>A.cinnamomea</i> product via the novel process at 1033.5 mg/kg BW had hepatoprotective effects on carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatotoxicity in rats.