The hepatoprotection of caffeic acid and rosmarinic acid, major compounds of Perilla frutescens, against t-BHP-induced oxidative liver damage

Perilla frutescens leaves are often used in East Asian gourmet food. In this study, we investigated the hepatoprotective effects of caffeic acid (CA), rosmarinic acid (RA), and their combination. P. frutescens contains 1.32 μg CA/mg dry material (DM) and 26.84 μg RA/mg DM analyzed by HPLC-DAD and HPLC-MS. CA remarkably reduced the oxidative damage than rosmarinic acid in an in vitro study. Oral intubation with CA or RA alone for five days was conducted prior to treatment with a single dose of tert-butyl hydroperoxide (0.5 mmol/kg b.w., i.p.), which led to a significant reduction of indicators of hepatic toxicity, such as aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, oxidized glutathione, lipid peroxidation and enzyme activities related to antioxidant such as catalase, glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase. Interestingly, compared to treatment with CA or RA alone, a combination of both compounds more increased the endogenous antioxidant enzymes and glutathione (GSH) and decreased lipid peroxidation in livers. These results suggest that CA from perilla leaves plays a role in the increased hepatic GSH concentration, and shows an additive hepatic protection with RA against oxidative hepatic damage.