Liposoluble portion of the red alga Pyropia yezoensis protects alcohol induced liver injury in mice

The hepatoprotective effect of liposoluble portion of Pyropia yezoensis (PYLP) was investigated against alcohol-induced liver injury in mice. Fatty acids were predominant in PYLP obtained from hexane fraction of 70% EtOH extract after ultrasonication. In particular, polyunsaturated fatty acids such as eicosapentaenoic acid and linoleic acid accounted for 56.91% of the total lipids. PYLP significantly reduced liver damage induced by the alcohol treatment in mice. PYLP treatment increased the activity of antioxidant enzymes including superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathion peroxidase by reducing thiobarbituric acid reactive substances. Histological observations showed that PYLP minimizes damage to living tissue induced by alcohol treatment by modulating the expression level of proteins involved in the anti-apoptotic signaling pathway. Our results suggest that PYLP, rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids extracted from the red alga P. yezoensis, will be useful as a potential liver protectant in the hangover industry.