Objective: To study the protective effect of Sambucus willamsii Hance fruit oil on acute liver injury in mice.
Methods: Sixty male mice were randomly divided into six groups: normal control, model, positive control( salvianolic acid A, SAA) and Sambucus Willamsii Hance fruit oil groups( oil-H, oil-M and oil-L). The mice were daily administered Sambucus willamsii Hance fruit oil at the dosage of 2. 0, 4. 0 and 12. 0 g/kg for the groups of oil-L, oil-M, oil-H, respectively, while the same volume of 1% CMC was given to normal control groups and model ones for four weeks. After twenty-four hours from the last administration, the mice( except the normal control group) were injected intraperitoneally with CCl_4( 20 mg/kg). All the mice were sacrificed sixteen hours later, and serum and liver of the mice were collected for biochemical index determination.
Results: The result showed that compared with the model group, the serum aspartate aminotransferase( AST) and alanine aminotransferase( ALT) levels in the Sambucus willamsii Hance fruit oil groups decreased significantly( P < 0. 05). MDA levels reduced( P < 0. 05), while SOD and GSH-Px level increased( P < 0. 05). Moreover, the improvement effect of the above indexes was not different from that of the positive control group( P > 0. 05).
Conclusion: Therefore, moderate intake of Sambucus willamsii Hance fruit oil exhibits a significantly protective effect on acute liver injury in mice.
Keywords: CCl_4; Sambucus willamsii Hance fruit oil; acute liver injury; mice; protective effect.