The preventive effect of Laurencia terpenoids extract on antioxidant system after alcohol exposure in rats.

Objective To study the preventive effect of Laurencia terpenoids extract(LTE)on antioxidant system after alcohol exposure in rats. Method Sixty male Wistar rats were randomly assigned to six groups: Group A (blank group) was ig distilled water. Group B (model group) drink 50% alcohol of 4.8g/kg bw·d. Group C, D and E was ig supplemented with LTE of 25, 50 and 100 mg/kg bw·d respectively. Group F (positive contro1) was fed diammonium glycyrrhizinate 200 mg/kg bw·d. All rats were treated for 6w. Six weeks later, the blood and hepatic tissue were collected. The activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione-peroxidase (GSH-Px), the content of malonaldehyde (MDA) in plasma were measured by biochemical methods. The expression of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) in hepatic tissue was measured by immunohistochemistry assay. Results Compared with blank group, the activities of SOD and GSH-Px in serum and hepatic tissue decreased; but the contents of MDA in serum and hepatic tissue of B group increased. Compared with model group, the activities of SOD in serum of C,D,E groups increased; and the activities of GSH-Px in serum and hepatic tissue of C,D, F groups increased; but the contents of MDA in serum and hepatic tissue of C,D,E groups decreased. HO-1 was expressed in liver cells surrounding central veins of hepatic lobules. Compared with blank group, the expression of HO-1 in B group was decreased. Compared with model group, the expression of HO-1 in D,E,F groups was increased. Conclusion LTE can protect against oxidant injury after alcohol exposure, which may be associated with increased activity of antioxidant enzymes, reduced lipid peroxidation, and increased expression of HO-1 in liver cells.