NARINGIN AND RUTIN PREVENT D-GALACTOSAMINE-INDUCED HEPATIC INJURY IN RATS VIA ATTENUATION OF THE INFLAMMATORY CASCADE AND OXIDATIVE STRESS

Abstract

The dried stems and leaves of Citrus jambhiri Lush. (Rutaceae) were extracted with aqueous methanol and the extracts were fractionated using light petroleum, chloroform and ethyl acetate. Column chromatography of the ethyl acetate fractions resulted in the isolation of naringin, rutin, hesperidin, and neohesperidin. Their structures were identified by MS and different NMR techniques. Liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS) of these fractions allowed the identification 7 flavonoid glycosides. Hepatoprotective properties of naringin and rutin were evaluated in d-galactosamine (d-GalN)-induced hepatic injury in rats. d-GalN increased serum aminotransferase activity, total bilirubin, liver tumor necrosis factor-α level (TNF-α), hepatic lipid peroxidation, nuclear factor κB and decreased hepatic glutathione content, IL-10 levels and the IL-10/TNF-α ratio. These changes were attenuated in rats pretreated with rutin and naringin (40 mg/kg body weight). They increased liver IL-10 levels and the IL-10/TNF-α ratio. Rutin but not naringin down-regulated NF-κB gene expression and decreased gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) activity.