Hepatoprotective effects exerted by Poria Cocos polysaccharides against acetaminophen-induced liver injury in mice

Our study was to investigate the potential pharmacological activity of Poria Cocos polysaccharides (PCP) against acetaminophen (APAP)-induced liver injury in mice. PCP-dosed mice were used to conducting biochemical assays of serological liver enzyme (ALT), lactate dehydrogenase (LD), inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6), and immunoassays for functional proteins in the livers. Consequently, APAP-exposed mice resulted in elevated levels of ALT, LD, TNF-α, IL-6 in sera. Interestingly, PCP-dosed mice exhibited reduced ALT, LD and inflammatory cytokines in blood. Inflammatory infiltration and cell death in liver tissue were decreased following by PCP treatments. Furthermore, immunofluorescence staining showed that AKR7A, c-Jun, Bcl-2-positive cells were increased in PCP-dosed livers in mice, while Bax-labeled cells were decreased. In addition, hepatocellular down-regulated NF-κBp65, IkBα expressions were observed dose-dependently in PCP-dosed livers in mice. Taken together, the current findings indicate that Poria Cocos polysaccharides exert pharmacological bioeffects against APAP-induced liver injury in mice, and the underlying molecular mechanism is associated to suppressing inflammatory response and apoptosis in liver cells.