Lab Anim Res.  2017 Jun;33(2):57-67. 10.5625/lar.2017.33.2.57.

Hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity of saponin-enriched extract of Asparagus cochinchinensis in ICR mice

• Sung JE
• Choi JY
• Kim JE
• Lee HA
• Yun WB
• Park JJ
• Kim HR
• Song BR
• Kim DS
• Lee CY
• Lee HS
• Lim Y
• Hwang DY

• KMID: 2407417
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5625/lar.2017.33.2.57

Abstract

The inhibitory effects of Asparagus cochinchinensis against inflammatory response induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS), substance P and phthalic anhydride (PA) treatment were recently reported for some cell lines and animal models. To evaluate the hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity of A. cochinchinensis toward the livers and kidneys of ICR mice, alterations in related markers including body weight, organ weight, urine composition, liver pathology and kidney pathology were analyzed in male and female ICR mice after oral administration of 150, 300 and 600 mg/kg body weight/day saponin-enriched extract of A. cochinchinensis (SEAC) for 14 days. The saponin, total flavonoid and total phenol levels were found to be 57.2, 88.5 and 102.1 mg/g in SEAC, respectively, and the scavenging activity of SEAC gradually increased in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, body and organ weight, clinical phenotypes, urine parameters and mice mortality did not differ between the vehicle and SEAC treated group. Furthermore, no significant alterations were measured in alkaline phosphatase (ALP), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and the serum creatinine (Cr) in the SEAC treated group relative to the vehicle treated group. Moreover, the specific pathological features induced by most toxic compounds were not observed upon liver and kidney histological analysis. Overall, the results of the present study suggest that SEAC does not induce any specific toxicity in the livers and kidneys of male and female ICR mice at doses of 600 mg/kg body weight/day.

Keyword

Asparagus cochinchinensis; hepatotoxicity; nephrotoxicity; saponin; histopathology

MeSH Terms

Administration, Oral
Alanine Transaminase
Alkaline Phosphatase
Animals
Aspartate Aminotransferases
Blood Urea Nitrogen
Body Weight
Cell Line
Creatinine
Female
Humans
Kidney
L-Lactate Dehydrogenase
Liver
Male
Mice
Mice, Inbred ICR*
Models, Animal
Mortality
Organ Size
Pathology
Phenol
Phenotype
Saponins
Substance P
Alanine Transaminase
Alkaline Phosphatase
Aspartate Aminotransferases
Creatinine
L-Lactate Dehydrogenase
Phenol
Saponins
Substance P

Figure

• 

  Figure 1 Schematic procedure of sample preparation and antioxidant properties of SEAC. (A) SEAC was obtained from the roots of A. cochinchinensis using ethyl acetate solution under the conditions described in the Materials and methods. (B) Components of SEAC. Total saponins, flavonoids and polyphenols were analyzed in several doses of SEAC. (C) Free radical scavenging activity of SEAC. DPPH radical scavenging activity was assayed in a mixture containing 0.1 mM DPPH and a range of concentrations of SEAC (0–2,000 µg/mL). DPPH, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical; IC50, half maximum inhibitory concentration. Values are presented as the means±SD of three replicates.

• 

  Figure 2 Effects of SEAC on liver toxicity in ICR mice. Liver tissues of male and female ICR mice were stained with H&E and histological structure was viewed at 400× magnification.

• 

  Figure 3 Effects of SEAC on the kidney toxicity in ICR mice. Kidney tissues of male (A) and female (B) ICR mice were stained with H&E, and histological structure was viewed at 400× magnification.

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