Protective effects of fermented filtrate from Antrodia camphorata in submerged culture against CCl4-induced hepatic toxicity in rats

The protective effects and the possible mechanisms of dry matter of fermented filtrate (DMF) from Antrodia camphorata in submerged culture (ACSC) on H2O2-induced cytotoxicity in HepG2 and carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced hepatotoxicity in Sprague-Dawley rats were investigated. The results showed that the inhibitory effect of DMF and its crude triterpenoids on lipid peroxidation occurred in a dose-response manner in an AAPH/linoleic acid system. When HepG2 cells were pretreated with DMF at the concentration of 0.10 mg/mL for 4 h and then induced by 1 h of treatment with H2O2 (100,uM), lipid peroxidation was significantly (p < 0.05) decreased, as measured by the formation of malondialdehyde. The oral pretreatment with DMF [0.25 and 0.50 mg/kg of body weight (bw)] for 5 consecutive days prior to the administration of a single dose of 40% CCl4 (10 ML/100 g of bw, ip) significantly prevented the increase in serum levels of hepatic enzyme markers (alanine and aspartate aminotransferase) and liver lipid peroxidation (p < 0.05). Histopathological evaluation of the rat liver revealed that DMF reduced the incidence of liver lesions, including neutrophil infiltration, hydropic swelling, and necrosis induced by CCl4 in rats. Moreover, reduced glutathione (GSH)-dependent enzymes (glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, and glutathione S-transferase) and the GSH/GSSG ratio were significantly improved in the oral pretreatment DMF of rats (p < 0.01). The results suggest that DMF may play a role in preventing oxidative damage in living systems by up-regulating hepatic GSH-dependent enzymes to preserve the normal GSH/GSSH ratio and scavenging free radicals formed during CCl4 metabolism.