Protective Effects of Dracocephalum heterophyllum in ConA-Induced Acute Hepatitis

Mediators Inflamm. 2016:2016:2684321. doi: 10.1155/2016/2684321. Epub 2016 Jul 25.

Abstract

Dracocephalum heterophyllum (DH) is a Chinese herbal medicine used in treating hepatitis. However, the protective effects and pharmacological mechanisms of DH in hepatitis are unknown. In this study, we found that pretreatment with DH extract significantly ameliorated liver injury and suppressed the production of inflammatory cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α) and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) in Concanavalin A- (ConA-) induced hepatitis (CIH). DH recruited more CD11b(+) Gr1(+) myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) to the liver and suppressed infiltration of macrophages (Kupffer cells) in the liver. The present work explores DH as an effective hepatoprotective medicine to inhibit inflammation and liver injury caused by hepatitis.

MeSH terms

  • Acute Disease
  • Animals
  • Concanavalin A / toxicity*
  • Female
  • Flow Cytometry
  • Hepatitis / drug therapy*
  • Hepatitis / etiology
  • In Situ Nick-End Labeling
  • Interferon-gamma / metabolism
  • Lamiaceae / chemistry*
  • Liver / cytology
  • Liver / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Plant Extracts / chemistry
  • Plant Extracts / pharmacology*
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / metabolism

Substances

  • Plant Extracts
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
  • Concanavalin A
  • Interferon-gamma