peoniflorin and Hepatitis

Paeoniflorin (PF) is one of the main effective components of the total glucosides of peony, which has been reported to have anti-inflammatory ability. However, the effects of paeoniflorin on concanavalin A (Con A)-induced hepatitis have not been carefully examined. The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effect of paeoniflorin and elucidate potential mechanisms of paeoniflorin on Con A-induced hepatitis. C57BL/6 mice were divided randomly into the following four experimental groups: PBS group, PF group, Con A group, and Con A+PF group. Mice received paeoniflorin (50mg/kg) by tail vein before Con A intravenous administration. We found that paeoniflorin pretreatment can significantly reduce the elevated plasma aminotransferase levels and liver necrosis in Con A-induced hepatitis. Also, paeoniflorin pretreatment suppressed the secretion of proinflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, INF-γ, IL-6), compared with Con A group. Meanwhile, paeoniflorin pretreatment decreased CD4(+), CD8(+) and NKT cell infiltration in the liver. Besides, we observed that paeoniflorin pretreatment can decrease the expression level of Toll-like receptor (TLR) 4 mRNA or protein in liver tissues. Further results showed that paeoniflorin pretreatment was capable of suppressing the activation of the NF-κB pathway by inhibiting IκBα kinase and p65 phosphorylation in Con A-induced liver injury. These results suggest that paeoniflorin pretreatment protects mice against Con A-induced liver injury via inhibition of several inflammatory mediators and, at least in part, by suppressing CD4(+), CD8(+) and NKT cell infiltration in liver. The beneficial effect of paeoniflorin may be related to the downregulation of TLR4 expression and the inhibition of NF-κB activation.

Topics: Animals; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; Cell Movement; Concanavalin A; Cytokines; Glucosides; Hepatitis; Inflammation Mediators; Liver; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Monoterpenes; NF-kappa B; Paeonia; Signal Transduction; T-Lymphocytes; Toll-Like Receptor 4; Transaminases

A comparative study was designed and conducted to compare the pharmacokinetic difference of paeoniflorin and albiflorin after oral administration of Radix Paeoniae Rubra to normal rats and the acute cholestasis hepatitis rats induced by alpha-naphthylisothiocyanate (ANIT). UPLC-ESI-MS/MS method was employed to determine the level of paeoniflorin and albiflorin in rat plasma using geniposide as the internal standard (IS). Unpaired Student's t-test was used for the statistical comparison. The investigation showed that there were significant differences between the normal rats and the acute cholestasis hepatitis rat groups in calculated parameters, such as AUC(0-t), AUC(0-∞), T(max) and CLz/F. The results indicated that acute liver injury in rats could alter the pharmacokinetics of drug. Since patients are the final users of the drug, it is essential to investigate the pharmacokinetics of the drug in disease status. Therefore, we used normal rats and the acute cholestasis hepatitis rats to study pharmacokinetics of Radix Paeoniae Rubra with the purpose of examining the influence of disease on the metabolic course.

Topics: Acute Disease; Administration, Oral; Animals; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; Benzoates; Bridged-Ring Compounds; Cholestasis; Drugs, Chinese Herbal; Glucosides; Hepatitis; Humans; Male; Monoterpenes; Paeonia; Random Allocation; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Sensitivity and Specificity; Time Factors

Paeoniflorin (PF), a monoterpene glucoside, is a primary bioactive component of paeony, the root extract of Paeonia lactiflora. We tested the antioxidant effects of PF and its ability to prevent lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced oxidative stress. We intraperitoneally administered PF (2.5, 5, or 10 mg/kg) to rats for 20 days. On day 21, we injected the rats with LPS 4 h before sacrifice and measured serum levels of glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase, glutamate pyruvate transaminase, lactate dehydrogenase as well as the levels of malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase in liver whole-cell homogenates and mitochondrial fractions. LPS treatment increased levels of glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase, glutamate pyruvate transaminase, lactate dehydrogenase, and malondialdehyde, but PF treatment blocked these increases. LPS treatment also decreased antioxidant levels of superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase, but PF blocked these decreases. PF also protected liver tissue, as shown by histopathology. These results suggest that PF can protect against LPS-induced liver inflammation.

Topics: Animals; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; Antioxidants; Benzoates; Bridged-Ring Compounds; Catalase; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Female; Glucosides; Glutathione Peroxidase; Hepatitis; Lipid Peroxidation; Lipopolysaccharides; Liver; Liver Function Tests; Malondialdehyde; Mitochondria, Liver; Monoterpenes; Oxidative Stress; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Superoxide Dismutase