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Updated: Oct 27, 2025
Inducing Acute Liver Injury in Rats via Carbon Tetrachloride CCl4 Exposure Through an Orogastric Tube
Published on: April 28, 2020
Hepatoprotective Effects of Heracleum candicans Against Carbon Tetrachloride-Induced Acute Liver Injury in Rats
Jie Li1,2, Dan Song1,2, Bintao Zhang3
1Key Laboratory for Molecular Genetic Mechanisms and Intervention Research on High Altitude Disease of Tibet Autonomous Region, School of Medicine, Xizang Minzu University, Xianyang, Shaanxi, China.
Purpose:
To determine the hepatoprotective mechanisms of Heracleum candicans in rats with acute liver injury induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4).
Methods:
Rats were intragastrically administered H candicans twice a day for 14 consecutive days and were intraperitoneally challenged with CCl4. Alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase were measured to indicate liver injury. Malondialdehyde antioxidant enzyme activity and tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin 6 secretion were measured as liver injury indicators. Histopathological tests were conducted to determine whether H candicans ameliorated liver injury.
Results:
CCl4-induced liver injury led to significant increases in liver injury biochemical indicators transaminase and malondialdehyde activities. H candicans pretreatments inhibited these increases. Pathological sections in pretreated samples exhibited reduced vacuole formation, neutrophil infiltration, and necrosis.
Conclusion:
H candicans increases the antioxidant capacity of the liver and maintains hepatocyte function in the face of CCl4-induced injury.
