Abstract:

Objective: To explore the preventive effect of total saponin (CLS) from Codonopsis lanceolata on DNA damage
in liver cells induced by diethylnitrosamine (DEN), and provide a reference for chemical prevention of liver cancer. Methods:
Fifty mice were randomly divided into five groups including negative control group (intragastric administration of distilled
water), DEN group (DEN 20 mg/kg by intraperitoneal injection every other day), and high, middle and low dose groups
(CLS 200, 100 mg/(kg·d) and 50 mg/(kg·d) by intragastric administration every day, DEN 20 mg/kg by intraperitoneal
injection every other day). The treatments were lasted for 6 weeks. DNA damage of liver cells were analyzed by a single cell
gel electrophoresis technique, the content of malondialdehyde (MDA), the activities of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and
superoxidedismutase (SOD) in liver tissues were determined by colorimentry. Results: CLS had no significant improvement
for mice on the inhibition of body weight. Comet tail length, comet length, tail moment, Olive tail moment and tail DNA (%)
of three CLS dose groups were significantly lower than those of DEN group (P ＜ 0.05), DNA damage of each CLS dose
group was significantly lower than that of DEN group (P ＜ 0.05). SOD activity of CLS high dose group was significantly
higher than that of DEN group (P ＜ 0.01), GSH-Px activities of CLS high and middle groups were significantly higher than
that of DEN group (P ＜ 0.01), the contents of MDA in three CLS dose groups were significantly lower than that of DEN
group in a dose-dependent manner (P ＜ 0.01). Conclusion: Codonopsis lanceolata saponin has obvious protective effects
against DNA damage in mouse liver cells induced by DEN.

Key words: Codonopsis lanceolata saponin, diethylnitrosamine, single cell gel electrophoresis (SCGE), DNA damage