Abstract
OBJECTIVES: Antrodia cinnamomea (AC) is found with anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory biological activities. In this study, we investigated the anti-hepatitis effect of the emulsified AC extract from RO water or supercritical fluid CO(2) with ethanol co-solvent extract methods of AC preparations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Five groups of eight to ten weeks male rats with a count of ten for each group were studied to evaluate the protection of two kinds of AC extract from hepatic injury. Acute liver injury of rats was induced by injecting 40% carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4)) 1 mg/kg intraperitoneally. Positive and negative control groups rats were perfused with CCl(4) or isotonic saline, respectively. Experimental groups received oral administration once/day of AC preparations before CCl(4) treatment: water AC extract (WAE group), or emulsified AC extract from supercritical fluid extraction (EAE group) for 5 days, and sacrificed on the 6(th) day and the blood and liver samples were collected under chloral hydrate anesthesia. The anti-inflammatory, antioxidant markers, and relevant signaling pathways were measured (AST, ALT, ROS, IL-1, IL-6, NO, and COX-2, MAPKs, and caspase-3). RESULTS: EAE at 50 mg/kg significantly decreased the serum AST, ALT, IL-1, IL-6, NO, and ROS levels. Both extracts reduced the activation of p-ERK in the liver samples, but EAE inhibited COX-2 and caspase-3 protein expression better than WAE. The EAE ameliorated CCl(4)-induced hepatic injury significantly; as compared with WAE and the positive control. CONCLUSION: The hepatoprotection of EAE could be attributed to the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of Antrodia.