Abstract
Acute hepatic inflammation is regarded as a hallmark of early stage fibrosis, which can progress to extensive fibrosis and cirrhosis. Sinapic acid is a phenylpropanoid compound that is abundant in cereals, nuts, oil seeds, and berries and has been reported to exhibit a wide range of pharmacological properties. In this study, we investigated the anti-inflammatory effect of sinapic acid in carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced acute hepatic injury in rats. Sinapic acid was administered orally (10 or 20 mg/kg) to rats at 30 min and 16 h before CCl4 intoxication. Sinapic acid treatment of rats reduced CCl4-induced abnormalities in liver histology, serum alanine transaminase and aspartate transaminase activities, and liver malondialdehyde levels. In addition, sinapic acid treatment significantly attenuated the CCl4-induced production of inflammatory mediators, including tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-1β mRNA levels, and increased the expression of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB p65). Sinapic acid exhibited strong free radical scavenging activity in vitro. Thus, sinapic acid protected the rat liver from CCl4-induced inflammation, most likely by acting as a free radical scavenger and modulator of NF-κB p65 activation and proinflammatory cytokine expression. Sinapic acid may thus have potential as a therapeutic agent for suppressing hepatic inflammation.
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This work was supported by a 2-Year Research Grant of Pusan National University.
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Shin, DS., Kim, K.W., Chung, H.Y. et al. Effect of sinapic acid against carbon tetrachloride-induced acute hepatic injury in rats. Arch. Pharm. Res. 36, 626–633 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12272-013-0050-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12272-013-0050-5