Polysaccharide from the Seeds of Plantago asiatica L. Protect Against Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Liver Injury

Previous studies have proven that polysaccharide obtained from the seeds of L. (PLCP) could induce maturation of murine dendritic cells, promote defecation, and possess antioxidant activity . However, the effect of PLCP on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced liver injury in mice has been rarely reported. In this study, we investigated the anti-inflammatory effect of PLCP on LPS-induced liver injury. Mice were pretreated orally with different dose of PLCP for 3 weeks. On day 22, they were injected intraperitoneally with LPS and sacrificed 12 h later. The results showed that PLCP inhibited the excessive production of tumor necrosis factor- , interleukin (IL)-6, IL-10, IL-2, and IL-1 in mouse serum and liver. PLCP also improved glutathione peroxidase and total antioxidant capacity activities in mouse liver. In addition, PLCP inhibited nitric oxide, inducible nitric oxide synthase, and cyclooxygenase-2 expression, and increased metallothionein production in mouse liver. Consequently, PLCP may possess protective effects on inflammatory associated liver injury.