Gamma irradiation-induced liver injury and its amelioration by red ginseng extract

AbstractRadiation therapy is associated with liver damage and late liver injury. The hepatoprotective effect of Korean Red Ginseng (KRG) was determined in whole-body gamma-irradiated ( γIR) mice. KRG at a dose of 10 and 50 mg/kg body weight was administrated to male C57BL/6 mice (each group, n=5) intraperitoneally for five days before whole-body γIR (6.5 Gy). Three days after γIR, serum and liver tissue were collected and analysed. Pretreatment with KRG suppressed serum alkalin e phosphatase (ALP), alkaline aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and γ-glutamyl-transferase (GGT) activities. It also caused a marked increase in cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and tumour growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) expression associated nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) activati on in the liver. Extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERKs) were also activated by irradiation. KRG treatment before irradiation could strongly suppress COX-2, TGF-β1, and ERK activation in the liver. Pretreatment with KRG may alleviate the severity of radiation-induced liver injury and fibrosis .
Source: Molecular and Cellular Toxicology - Category: Cytology Source Type: research