Hepatoprotective effects of kaempferol 3-O-rutinoside and kaempferol 3-O-glucoside from Carthamus tinctorius L. on CCl4-induced oxidative liver injury in mice
Yu Wang, Changyun Tang, Hao Zhang
Department of Pharmacognosy, West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, No. 17 of Renmin Road South, Chengdu 610041, China
Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) is a traditional medicinal and edible herb with a long history of use in China. In this study, a model of hepatotoxicity induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) in mice was used to investigate the hepatoprotective effects of kaempferol 3-O-rutinoside (K-3-R) and kaempferol 3-O-glucoside (K-3-G), two kaempferol glycosides isolated from C. tinctorius L. K-3-R and K-3-G, at doses of 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg, were given orally to male mice once/d for 7 days before they received CCl4 intraperitoneally. Our results showed that K-3-R and K-3-G treatment increased the level of total protein (TP) and prevented the CCl4-induced increases in serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST), serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and hepatic malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. Additionally, mice treated with K-3-R and K-3-G had significantly restored glutathione (GSH) levels and showed normal catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities, compared to CCl4-treated mice. K-3-R and K-3-G also mitigated the CCl4-induced liver histological alteration, as indicated by histopathological evaluation. These findings demonstrate that K-3-R and K-3-G have protective effects against acute CCl4-induced oxidative liver damage.
Keywords: Carthamus tinctorius L., carbon tetrachloride, hepatoprotective effects, kaempferol glycosides