The cis-emodin-emodin dianthrone (compound 1) and trans-emodin-emodin dianthrone (compound 2) were extracted from Polygonum multiflorum Thunb. The protective effect and mechanism of compound 1 and compound 2 (emodin-emodin dianthrones) on acute liver injury induced by concanavalin A (ConA) in ICR mice was first investigated. The results indicated that emodin-emodin dianthrones at 1 mg·kg-1 significantly reduced serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) level (P < 0.05). Emodin-emodin dianthrones also improved liver histopathological damage in liver-injured mice. The level of Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax) mRNA in liver was significantly reduced by 1 mg·kg-1 of emodin-emodin dianthrones, while the level of B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) mRNA expression was significantly increased (P < 0.05). The protective activity of compounds 1 and 2 against hepatocyte injury was further evaluated by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced hepatocyte injury. Compounds 1 and 2 significantly inhibited H2O2-induced hepatocyte injury and reduced the levels of ALT, AST, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in cell culture. Compounds 1 and 2 also significantly improved the cell survival rate and decreased H2O2-induced oxidative stress in hepatocytes. Compound 1 (0.5 µmol·L-1) significantly increased the enzymatic activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) in hepatocytes (P < 0.01), and 0.5 µmol·L-1 of compound 2 significantly decreased the intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), increased SOD enzyme activity, and glutathione (GSH) content (P < 0.01). Compounds 1 and 2 at 0.5 µmol·L-1 also inhibited hepatocyte apoptosis by increasing the protein expression ratio of Bcl-2/Bax (P < 0.05) and decreasing the protein expression ratio of cleaved caspase-3 and pro caspase-3 (P < 0.05). This study indicates that the emodin-emodin dianthrones from Polygonum multiflorum Thunb. have liver-protective activity. Compounds 1 and 2 exerted hepatoprotective effects by inhibiting apoptosis and oxidative stress. The study provides an important material basis for the hepatoprotective effect of commonly used amounts of Polygonum multiflorum Thunb.
| 科 Family | 属数 Number of genus | 种数 Number of species | 占总种数比例 Percentage of total species (%) | 属 Genus | 种数 Number of species | 占总种数比例 Percentage of total species (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 鹅膏菌科Amanitaceae | 2 | 11 | 5.26 | 鹅膏菌属 Amanita | 10 | 4.78 |
| 小菇科 Mycenaceae | 2 | 12 | 5.74 | 丝盖伞属 Inocybe | 5 | 2.39 |
| 多孔菌科 Polyporaceae | 8 | 14 | 6.70 | 蜡蘑属 Laccaria | 5 | 2.39 |
| 红菇科 Russulaceae | 3 | 23 | 11.00 | 小皮伞属 Marasmius | 6 | 2.87 |
| 小菇属 Mycena | 11 | 5.26 | ||||
| 光柄菇属 Pluteus | 5 | 2.39 | ||||
| 红菇属 Russula | 17 | 8.13 | ||||
| 栓菌属 Trametes | 5 | 2.39 |