Effects of Sake-Lees-Derived Profine^® Supplementation In Rat Models of Acute Hepatic Injury

Abstract

In the patients of acute liver injury, it is important to delay the progression and severity of hepatic damage. In this research, the antioxidant effects of the additive Profine® (PF), a product derived from Japanese sake lees, were tested in two different types of acute liver injury in rat models, as follows: a green tea extract (GTE)induced liver injury model and a carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄)-induced liver injury model. Seven-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats received a single intraperitoneal injection of 50% CCl₄ or 200 mg/kg GTE. Serum and liver samples were collected 48hrs after the CCl₄ or GTE injection. In separate groups, 2 mL of 2, 4, or 8% PF in water was orally administered multiple times before and after CCl₄ or GTE injection. Serum biomarkers of hepatotoxicity (AST, ALT, T-BIL), histopathology, and/or immunohistochemistry of apoptosis, oxidative stress and hypoxia were examined. These marker levels were decreased in PF exposure groups compared to CCl₄- injected group. Suppression of GTE-induced hepatotoxicity was also seen with 2, 4, and 8% PF administration. Our experimental results demonstrate that PF reduced the severity of liver injury in these models by its antioxidant activity.