Antioxidant activity and energy protective effect of Hedysarum alpinum L. extract in acute CCL4-induced hepatitis

Relevance. The course of physiological processes in the norm is significantly influenced by the pro- and antioxidant, as well as the energy status of the body. In the liver, biochemical disturbances in the functioning of these systems contribute to the development or aggravate the course of pathological conditions such as chronic hepatitis, cholelithiasis, chronic cholecystitis, etc. In this regard, the assessment of the influence of the studied herbal remedies that have a hepatoprotective effect on energy metabolism and the state of the antioxidant system of the body in experimental pathological processes is still relevant.

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effect of Hedysarum alpinum L. dry extract on antioxidant status and energy metabolism in white rats with acute carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatitis.

Material and methods. The studies were carried out on white Wistar rats. Acute carbon tetrachloride hepatitis was induced by subcutaneous injection of a 50% oily solution of CCl₄ for 4 days at a dose of 1.0 ml/kg. The dry extract H. alpinum was administered per os to animals at doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg. On the 7^th and 14^th days of the experiment, the energy metabolism and antioxidant status of the liver were assessed. The content of ATP, lactate, pyruvate, GSH the concentration of malondialdehyde (MDA), the activity of catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, superoxide dismutase (SOD) in the liver homogenate were determined. The evaluation of the antiradical activity of the studied agent was carried out in vitro: binding of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH˙), 2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS˙⁺).

Results. The dry extract H. alpinum was administered to animals at doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg, increases the activity of SOD, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase and the content of GSH, reduces the content of MDA, increases the content of ATP, reduces the level of lactate; corrects the lactate/pyruvate ratio compared to the control. The dry extract of H. alpinum demonstrated the most pronounced antioxidant activity and energy-protective effect at a dose of 200 mg/kg. The extract of H. alpinum characterized by a pronounced radical-binding activity against DPPH˙ and ABTS˙+ (IC₅₀^DPPH˙=25.1 µg/ml; IC₅₀^ABTS˙+=47.1 µg/ml), which was due to the high content in its composition of phenolic compounds (2-C-β-D-glucopyranosyl-1,3,6,7-tetraoxyxanthone, rutin, catechins, xanthones), flavonols and polysaccharides.

Conclusions. The dry extract H. alpinum at doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg reduces the intensity of oxidative stress and corrects the state of energy metabolism in carbon tetrachloride-induced acute liver injury in white rats, showing a pronounced antioxidant, antiradical and energy-protective effects.