Phytocompounds from Vitis kelungensis stem prevent carbon tetrachloride-induced acute liver injury in mice

Vitis thunbergii, Vitis flexuosa, and Vitis kelungensis are three common wild grapes in Taiwan and have been used as a traditional medicine for inflammatory disorders. However, the potential bioactivities of these wild grapes have not been studied to date. In this study, anti-inflammatory activities and hepatoprotective properties of these three wild grapes were assessed by in vitro and in vivo assays, respectively. Results revealed that the methanolic extract of V. kelungensis stem (VKS) strongly suppressed NO production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated murine macrophages. And among all fractions derived from VKS, the EtOAc fraction exhibited the best inhibitory activity. In addition, VKS and its major resveratrol derivatives, (−)-ε-viniferin and 2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2,3-dihydrobenzo[b]furan-3,4,6-triol, can prevent CCl4-induced liver injury and aminotransferase activities in mice, which were comparable to that of silymarin or resveratrol, the natural remedies for liver diseases.