Protective effect of 70% ethanolic extract of Lindera obtusiloba Blume on tert-butyl hydroperoxide-induced oxidative hepatotoxicity in rats

Lindera obtusiloba Blume, a native plant of East Asia, has traditionally been used as a folk medicine for liver disease. We studied the in vitro antioxidant and in vivo hepatoprotective activities of a 70% ethanolic extract of L. obtusiloba (LOE) containing 62.9% quercitrin and 22.0% afzelin. LOE prevented tert-butyl hydroperoxide (t-BHP)-induced oxidative damage in HepG2 cells. Along with its high antioxidant potency in vitro, our animal study confirmed that pretreatment with LOE (500 or 2000 mg/kg) for 7 days prior to a single dose of t-BHP (i.p.: 0.5 mmol/kg) significantly lowered the serum levels of alanine and aspartate aminotransferases. In addition, glutathione levels were increased in the liver, and lipid peroxidation levels were decreased in a dose-dependent manner. The histopathological examinations of rat livers showed that LOE significantly reduced the incidence of liver lesions induced by t-BHP. Therefore, we concluded that LOE has merit as a potent candidate to protect the liver against oxidative damage.