• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.55 no.2
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• pp.109-115
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• 2012

The aim of this study was to determine hepatoprotective effects of pig placenta hydrolysates (PLA) on liver damage-induced rats. Sprague Dawley rats were subcutaneously injected with carbon tetrachlorides and divided into 4 groups: negative control (DMSO treated), two PLA treated groups, low dosage of PLA (LPLA; 300 mg/kg body weight) and high dosage of PLA (HPLA; 1000 mg/kg body weight), and silymarin treated group (80 mg/kg body weight). Rats in each group orally received assigned compounds for 3 weeks. For the normal control group vehicle (corn oil) was injected. After 3 weeks, liver and spleen weights were greater in the two PLA and silymarin groups than the negative control group. After bromosulfalein (BSP) treatment, the clearance rates were in the descending order of negative control > LPLA > HPLA = silymarin and serum BSP levels exhibited the opposite trends of the clearance rates. Serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, triglyceride, and cholesterol lowered with PLA in a dose-dependent manner. The decrease with HPLA was similar to that with silymarin. In addition, triglyceride, cholesterol, lipid peroxides levels in the liver decreased in HPLA and silymarin compared to the negative control. The liver morphometry was improved in HPLA- or silymarin-treated rats in comparison to the negative control. In conclusion, HPLA administration ameliorated the hepatotoxicity as much as silymarin in rats injected with carbon tetrachlorides.