Puerarin mitigates acute liver injury in septic rats by regulating proinflammatory factors and oxidative stress levels

Abstract

Purpose: To determine the protective effect of puerarin against acute liver injury in septic rats, and the mechanism involved.Methods: Eighty-seven Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were assigned to control, sepsis and puerarin groups (each having 29 rats). Serum levels of NF-kB, TNF-α, IL-1 β, IL-6, ALT and AST were assayed. Liver lesions and levels of NO, SOD, iNOS and malondialdehyde (MDA) were measured using standard procedures.Results: Compared with the control group, the levels of NF-kB, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, AST, ALT, NO, MDA and iNOS significantly increased in the sepsis group, while SOD level decreased significantly. In contrast, there were marked decreases in NF-kB, TNF-α, IL-1β, AST, ALT, NO, MDA and iNOS in puerarin group, relative to the sepsis group, while SOD expression level was significantly increased (p <0.05). The level of p-p38 in liver of septic rats was up-regulated, relative to control rats, while Nrf2 significantly decreased (p < 0.05). The expression level of p-p38 in the puerarin group was significantly decreased, relative to the sepsis group, while the expression level of Nrf2 significantly increased (p < 0.05).Conclusion: Puerarin mitigates acute liver injury in septic rats by inhibiting NF-kB and p38 signaling pathway, down-regulating proinflammatory factors, and suppressing oxidative stress. Thus, puerarin may be developed for use in the treatment liver injury.