Background: Costunolide, a well-known sesquiterpene lactone, has been reported to have anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative effects.
Methods: In this study, we aim to investigate the protective effects and mechanism of costunolide on lipopolysaccharide/d-galactosamine (LPS/D-Gal)-induced acute liver injury. Acute liver injury animal model was induced by intraperitoneal injection with D-Gal and LPS. Costunolide (10, 20, and 30 mg/kg) was injected intraperitoneally 1 h before or after LPS/D-Gal treatment.
Results: The results showed that costunolide significantly attenuated liver pathologic changes, as well as alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase levels in serum. Meanwhile, costunolide inhibited the expressions of interleukin (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α) in liver tissues in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, costunolide dose dependently inhibited LPS/D-Gal-induced NF-κB activation.
Conclusions: In conclusion, this study suggested that costunolide could attenuate LPS/D-Gal-induced liver injury and might be a potential therapeutic reagent for liver injury.
Keywords: Acute liver injury; Costunolide; Lipopolysaccharide; NF-κB; d-galactosamine.
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