Abstract
Acute hepatic inflammation is regarded as a hallmark of early stage fibrosis, which can progress to extensive fibrosis and cirrhosis. Sinapic acid is a phenylpropanoid compound that is abundant in cereals, nuts, oil seeds, and berries and has been reported to exhibit a wide range of pharmacological properties. In this study, we investigated the anti-inflammatory effect of sinapic acid in carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced acute hepatic injury in rats. Sinapic acid was administered orally (10 or 20 mg/kg) to rats at 30 min and 16 h before CCl4 intoxication. Sinapic acid treatment of rats reduced CCl4-induced abnormalities in liver histology, serum alanine transaminase and aspartate transaminase activities, and liver malondialdehyde levels. In addition, sinapic acid treatment significantly attenuated the CCl4-induced production of inflammatory mediators, including tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-1β mRNA levels, and increased the expression of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB p65). Sinapic acid exhibited strong free radical scavenging activity in vitro. Thus, sinapic acid protected the rat liver from CCl4-induced inflammation, most likely by acting as a free radical scavenger and modulator of NF-κB p65 activation and proinflammatory cytokine expression. Sinapic acid may thus have potential as a therapeutic agent for suppressing hepatic inflammation.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Acute Disease
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Animals
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Anti-Inflammatory Agents / administration & dosage
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Anti-Inflammatory Agents / therapeutic use*
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Biphenyl Compounds / chemistry
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Blotting, Western
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Body Weight / drug effects
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Carbon Tetrachloride / toxicity*
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Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / etiology
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Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / immunology
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Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / pathology
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Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / prevention & control*
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Coumaric Acids / administration & dosage
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Coumaric Acids / therapeutic use*
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Disease Models, Animal
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Free Radical Scavengers / administration & dosage
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Free Radical Scavengers / therapeutic use*
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Interleukin-1beta / antagonists & inhibitors
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Interleukin-1beta / biosynthesis
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Interleukin-1beta / immunology
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Lipid Peroxidation / drug effects
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Liver / drug effects
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Liver / enzymology
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Liver / immunology
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Liver / pathology
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Liver Function Tests
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Male
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Molecular Structure
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Organ Size / drug effects
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Picrates / chemistry
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Rats
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Rats, Sprague-Dawley
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Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
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Transcription Factor RelA / antagonists & inhibitors
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Transcription Factor RelA / biosynthesis
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Transcription Factor RelA / immunology
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Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / antagonists & inhibitors
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Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / biosynthesis
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Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / immunology
Substances
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Anti-Inflammatory Agents
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Biphenyl Compounds
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Coumaric Acids
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Free Radical Scavengers
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Interleukin-1beta
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Picrates
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Transcription Factor RelA
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Transforming Growth Factor beta1
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sinapinic acid
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Carbon Tetrachloride
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1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl