Aqueous extract of Baccharis trimera improves redox status and decreases the severity of alcoholic hepatotoxicity

Hepatotoxicity induced by ethanol and the interference of Baccharis trimera aqueous extract (AQ) in this process. When HepG2 cells were incubated with ethanol there were increase of ROS, NO and transcriptional factor Nrf2. B. trimera decreased ROS and NO, and stimulated Nrf2. In in vivo experiment ethanol promoted increased in creatinin, total cholesterol, fraction non HDL, reduced/oxidized glutathione ratio, TBARS, protein carbonylated and MMP-2 activity, and decreased GPx activity. B. trimera promoted a decreased in reduced/oxidized glutathione ratio, TBARS and MMP-2 activity, besides increased in GPx activity. The livers became steatotic, but B. trimera aqueous extract decreased the degree of damaged.▪ The metabolism of ethanol occurs mainly in the liver, promoting increase of reactive oxygen species and nitrogen, leading to redox imbalance. Therefore, antioxidants can be seen as an alternative to reestablish the oxidizing/reducing equilibrium. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antioxidant and hepatoprotective effect of aqueous extract of Baccharis trimera (Less.) DC., Asteraceae, in a model of hepatotoxicity induced by ethanol. The extract was characterized and in vitro tests were conducted in HepG2 cells. It was evaluated the cells viability exposed to aqueous extract for 24h, ability to scavenging the radical DPPH, besides the production of reactive oxygen species and nitric oxide, and the influence on the transcriptional activity of transcription factor Nrf2 (12 and 24h) after exposure to 200mM ethanol. The results showed that aqueous extract was non-cytotoxic in any concentration tested; moreover, it was observed a decrease in ROS and NO production, also promoting the transcriptional activity of Nrf2. In vivo, we pretreatment male rats Fisher with 600mg/kg of aqueous extract and 1h later 5ml/kg of absolute ethanol was administrated. After two days of treatment, the animals were euthanized and lipid profile, hepatic and renal functions, antioxidant status and oxidative damage were evaluated. The treatment with extract improved liver function and lipid profile, reflecting the reduction of lipid microvesicules in the liver. It also promoted an increase of glutathione peroxidase activity, decrease of oxidative damage and MMP-2 activity. These results, analyzed together, suggest the hepatoprotective effect of B. trimera aqueous extract.