Esculin prevents Lipopolysaccharide/D-Galactosamine-induced acute liver injury in mice

• Published in: Microbial pathogenesis Vol. 125; pp. 418 - 422
• Main Authors: Liu, Aiyun, Shen, Yongbin, Du, Yaju, Chen, Jing, Pei, Fenghua, Fu, Weiran, Qiao, Jiutao
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.12.2018
• Subjects: Alanine Transaminase - blood; Animals; Anti-Inflammatory Agents - administration & dosage; Antioxidants - administration & dosage; Aspartate Aminotransferases - blood; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury - pathology; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury - prevention & control; Cytokines - analysis; Disease Models, Animal; Esculin; Esculin - administration & dosage; Galactosamine - toxicity; Lipopolysaccharides - toxicity; Liver - pathology; Liver injury; LPS; Mice; Nrf2; Protective Agents - administration & dosage; Esculin; Nrf2; LPS; Liver injury
• ISSN: 0882-4010; 1096-1208
• DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2018.10.003

Liver injury is an important cause of serious liver disease and is characterized by inflammatory and oxidative responses. Esculin, a coumarinic derivative found in Aesculus hippocastanum L., has been shown to exhibit anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative effects. Here, we investigated the effects and molecular mechanism of esculin on Lipopolysaccharide/D-Galactosamine (LPS/D-Gal)-induced acute liver injury. A mouse model for acute liver injury was induced by intraperitoneal injection with D-Gal and LPS, and was assessed by histology, and serum transaminase analyses. The results showed that esculin significantly reduced the pathological symptoms of acute liver injury, as well as serum AST and ALT levels. LPS/D-Gal-induced liver myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity and malondialdehyde (MDA) content were also suppressed by esculin. Furthermore, LPS/D-Gal-induced liver tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) production were attenuated by esculin. Our data demonstrate that esculin can inhibit nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) activation as well as increase nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) expression. In conclusion, this paper demonstrates that esculin protects liver injury induced by LPS/D-Gal via inhibiting inflammatory and oxidative responses. •Esculin significantly reduced the pathological symptoms of acute liver injury, serum AST and ALT levels.•LPS/D-Gal-induced liver MPO activity and MDA content were also suppressed by esculin.•Furthermore, LPS/D-Gal-induced liver TNF-α and IL-1β production were attenuated by esculin.•Esculin could inhibit NF-κB signaling pathway and activate Nrf2 signaling pathway.