Abstract:

Abstract:Objective To investigate the influence of Curcumae decoction in p53 and caspase-3 expressions in hepatocytes of the mice with acute hepatic injury induced with carbon tetrachloride (CCl4),and to clarify the mechanisms of protective effect of Curcumae decoction on acute hepatic injury. Methods 60 ICR mice were randomly divided into blank  control group (saline for equal volume),model group (saline for equal volume),positive drug group (diammonium glycyrrhizinate),low dose of  Curcumae group (2.5 g/kg),middle dose of Curcumae group (5.0 g/kg) and high dose of  Curcumae group (10.0 g/kg).The acute hepatic injury mouse models were established with CCl4 after being given drugs for 7 d.The liver indexes were calculated,and the activities of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) in serum were detected and the pathological changes of liver tissue were observed.The gene transcription level of p53 in hepatocytes was examined by RT-PCR and the expression of caspase-3 protein in liver tissue was detected by immunohistochemistry. Results Compared with blank  control group,the liver index of the mice in model group was significantly increased (P<0.05);compared with model group,the liver indexes of the mice in different Curcumae groups were decreased (P<0.05). Compared with blank control group,the serum ALT activity of the mice in model group was increased (P<0.01),and the ALT activities of mice in positive drug group,high and middle doses of Curcuame groups were clearly decreased (P<0.05). The livers of the mice in blank  control group were red,soft and elastic,the livers in model group were swell,a little yellow,and having some filemot spalash.Microscopically,the liver tissue in blank control group was in gear，there were a lot of hepatocytes swell,inflammatory infiltration,balloon liked denaturalization and hepatocytes death of the mice in model group,but the lesions became much slighter in Curcumae groups.The gene transcription level of p53 in model group was increased compared with blank control group (P<0.05),and the gene transcription level of p53 in high dose of  Curcumae group was significantly decreased (P<0.05).The caspase-3 protein expressions in liver tissue of the mice in Curcumae groups were obviously decreased. Conclusion Curcumae can protect the liver from acute hepatic injury induced with CCl4 in the mice,its mechanism may be related to reducing  the gene transcription level of p53 and the expression of caspase-3 and prevent the hepatocytes from apoptosis.

Key words: Curcumae；acute hepatic injury；carbon tetrachloride, p53 gene；caspase-3 ,