Abstract:

Objective: The protective effect of refined polysaccharides from Termitomyces albuminosus (RPTA) on acute
alcoholic hepatic injury in mice was investigated. Methods: The mice were randomly divided into blank control group,
alcoholic control model group, bifendate (150 mg/(kg·d)) group and RPTA (100, 200 and 400 mg/(kg·d)) groups. All mice
except the blank control group were administered with the corresponding drugs for 30 days prior to the administration of
50% alcohol at a dose of 12 mL/kg bw. After alcohol treatment for 12 hours, sera were collected to determine aspartate
transaminase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and triglyceride (TG). All mice were killed through dislocation for the
assay of antioxidant activity in liver, while the degree of hepatic injury in mice was analyzed by histological examination.
Results: The levels of AST, ALT, TG, and malondialdehyde (MDA) in liver revealed an obvious decrease in the RPTA
treatment groups when compared to the model control group, while the contents of glutathione (GSH), and the activities of
superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in liver exhibited an obvious increase. The pathological
changes such as fatty degeneration and necrosis in liver were significantly alleviated in the RPTA groups, especially in
the 400 mg/(kg·d) RPTA group. Conclusion: RPTA can protect the liver from alcohol-induced injury in mice, likely by
enhancing the radical-scavenging system and protecting the cell membrane from alcohol-induced injury.

Key words: refined polysaccharides from Termitomyces albuminosus, alcohol-induced liver injury, protective effect, antioxidation