Brief Article
Copyright ©2011 Baishideng Publishing Group Co., Limited. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Jun 7, 2011; 17(21): 2663-2666
Published online Jun 7, 2011. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v17.i21.2663
Protective effects of 2,4-dihydroxybenzophenone against acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity in mice
Yue-Ying He, Bao-Xu Zhang, Feng-Lan Jia
Yue-Ying He, Bao-Xu Zhang, Feng-Lan Jia, Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
Author contributions: Zhang BX and He YY designed the research; He YY and Jia FL performed the research; He YY analyzed the data and wrote the paper.
Supported by Drug Innovation Program of National Science and Technology Project, No. 2009ZX09103-007
Correspondence to: Bao-Xu Zhang, Professor, Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China. bxzhang@bjmu.edu.cn
Telephone: +86-10-82801527 Fax: +86-10-82801527
Received: October 28, 2010
Revised: November 21, 2010
Accepted: November 28, 2010
Published online: June 7, 2011
Abstract

AIM: To examine the effects of 2,4-dihydroxybenzophenone (BP-1), a benzophenone derivative used as an ultraviolet light absorbent, on acetaminophen (APAP)-induced hepatotoxicity in C57BL/6J mice.

METHODS: Mice were administered orally with BP-1 at doses of 200, 400 and 800 mg/kg body weight respectively every morning for 4 d before a hepatotoxic dose of APAP (350 mg/kg body weight) was given subcutaneously. Twenty four hours after APAP intoxication, the serum enzyme including serum alaine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were measured and liver histopathologic changes were examined.

RESULTS: BP-1 administration dramatically reduced serum ALT, AST and LDH levels. Liver histopathological examination showed that BP-1 administration antagonized APAP-induced liver pathological damage in a dose-dependent manner. Further tests showed that APAP-induced hepatic lipid peroxidation was reduced significantly by BP-1 pretreatment, and glutathione depletion was ameliorated obviously.

CONCLUSION: BP-1 can effectively protect C57BL/6J mice from APAP-induced hepatotoxicity, and reduction of oxidative stress might be part of the protection mechanism.

Keywords: 2,4-dihydroxybenzophenone; Acetaminophen; Hepatotoxicity