Protective effects of dehydroglyasperin c against carbon tetrachloride-induced liver damage in mice

Dehydroglyasperin C (DGC) isolated from licorice has been shown to exhibit antioxidant activity as well as induce phase 2 detoxifying enzymes in mouse hepatoma cells. This study investigated whether or not DGC exerts hepatoprotective effects through modulation of phase 1 and 2 detoxifying enzymes. ICR mice were divided into five groups with 10 mice per group: (1) negative control, (2) positive control injected with carbon tetrachloride (CCl4, 0.6 mL/kg BW) alone, (3) ICR mice injected with DGC (5 mg/kg BW) alone, (4) ICR mice injected with DGC followed by CCl4, and (5) ICR mice injected with DGC and CCl4 simultaneously. Mice were adapted for 1 week, followed by injection with DGC on day 7, CCl4 on day 8, and sacrifice on day 9 of the experiment. Treatment with DGC induced NQO1 activity in kidney only, but not in the other tissues of mice. Compared to mice injected with CCl4 alone, mice simultaneously injected with both DGC and CCl4 showed reduced lipid droplet formation in liver tissue, as assessed by histological examination. Further, DGC demonstrated a slight protective effect against centrilobular injury caused by CCl4 injection, perhaps through suppression of CYP2E1 expression. In conclusion, DGC possesses hepatoprotective effects against CCl4-induced injury.