Abstract
Background: Triphala is a traditional polyherbal formula used in Indian Ayurvedic and Chinese Tibetan medicine. A wide range of biological activities have been attributed to Triphala, but the impact of various extraction methods on efficacy has not been determined. Purpose: The study aimed to evaluate Triphala extracts obtained by various methods for their hepatoprotective effects and molecular mechanisms in a mouse model of carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced liver injury. Methods: HPLC fingerprinting was used to characterize the chemical characteristics of Triphala extracts obtained by (a) 0.5 h ultrasonication, (b) 2 h reflux, and (c) 4 h reflux. Hepatoprotective efficacy was evaluated in a mouse model of CCl4-induced liver damage. Serum levels of alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were measured, as well as the liver antioxidant and inflammatory markers malondialdehyde superoxide dismutase glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), TNF-α, and IL-6. Gene and protein expression of Nrf-2 signaling components Nrf-2, heme oxygenase (HO-1), and NADPH Quinone oxidoreductase (NQO-1) in liver tissue were evaluated by real-time PCR and western blotting. Results: Chemical analysis showed a clear difference in content between extracts produced by ultrasonic and reflux methods. The pharmacological analysis showed that all three Triphala extracts reduced ALT, AST, MDA, TNF-α, and IL-6 levels and increased SOD and GSH-Px. Triphala extracts also induced transcript and protein expression of Nrf-2, HO-1, and NQO-1. Conclusion: Triphala extract prevents CCl4-induced acute liver injury. The ultrasonic extract of Triphala was most effective, suggesting that hepatoprotection may be related to the larger tannins via activation of Nrf-2 signaling.
Highlights
As one of the largest metabolic organs in the human digestive system, the liver has functions of transformation, excretion, immunity, and detoxification and is susceptible to chemical liver injury caused by various pathogenic and stimulating factors
In a previous study Huang et al (2019), we found that the Phyllanthus emblica component of Triphala exhibited hydrolytic tannin conversion in heat- and refluxmediated extraction, suggesting various extraction methods may yield extracts with variable biological activities
Plants are rich in antioxidant ingredients, which are important in reducing the pathogenesis of oxidative stress due to their free radical scavenging effect (Firuzi et al, 2011)
Summary
As one of the largest metabolic organs in the human digestive system, the liver has functions of transformation, excretion, immunity, and detoxification and is susceptible to chemical liver injury caused by various pathogenic and stimulating factors. Triphala is applied in the treatment of gastritis, hepatitis, colitis and other digestive diseases (Deep et al, 2005; Li et al, 2018a; Nariya et al, 2011; Olennikov et al, 2015; Rayudu and Raju, 2014; Wang et al, 2018). The hydrolyzed tannins in Triphala are considered the primary inducers of biological activity (Pawar et al, 2009; Russell et al, 2011). A wide range of biological activities have been attributed to Triphala, but the impact of various extraction methods on efficacy has not been determined. Purpose: The study aimed to evaluate Triphala extracts obtained by various methods for their hepatoprotective effects and molecular mechanisms in a mouse model of carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced liver injury
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