Puerarin improves metabolic function leading to hepatoprotective effects in chronic alcohol-induced liver injury in rats

Abstract

Puerarin (PR), an active component extracted from the kudzu root, has been widely used as an ethno-medicine to treat hepatopathy in China. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the hepatoprotective action of PR in chronic alcohol-induced liver injury in rats. Data showed that the serum levels of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) were elevated following PR administration. In addition, the levels of endogenous CYP2E1, CYP1A2, and CYP3A proteins in liver tissue were also gradually decreased following PR treatment. Histopathological examinations suggested that alcohol-induced hepatocellular lesions were mitigated by PR treatment. Collectively, these data indicate that PR contributes to cytoprotection against alcohol-induced liver lesions through improving metabolic function.