Protection of Flos Lonicerae against acetaminophen-induced liver injury and its mechanism

This study aims to observe the protective action of Flos Lonicerae (FL) aqueous extract against acetaminophen (AP)-induced liver injury and its mechanism. Results show that FL decreases AP-increased serum alanine/aspartate transaminases (ALT/AST) activity, as well as total bilirubin (TB) amount, in mice. Histological evaluation of the liver further confirms the protection of FL against AP-induced hepatotoxicity. TdT-mediated biotin-dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) assay shows that FL reduces AP-increased apoptotic cells. Furthermore, AP-decreased liver glutamate-cysteine ligase (GCL) enzymatic activity and glutathione (GSH) amount are both reversed by FL because of the increased expression of the catalytic subunit of GCL (GCLC) protein. The amount of chlorogenic acid (CGA), caffeic acid, and luteolin, the main active compounds in FL, is detected by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). In addition, cell viability assay demonstrates that polyphenols in FL, such as CGA, caffeic acid, as well as isochlorogenic acids A, B, and C, can reverse AP-induced cytotoxicity. In conclusion, FL can prevent AP-induced liver injury by inhibiting apoptosis. The cellular antioxidant enzyme GCL is also involved in such protection. Polyphenols may be the main active hepato-protective ingredients in FL.