Abstract: This study was designed to study the effect of silymarin on the proliferation of human hepatocellular liver carcinoma cell line (HepG2) and its preventive effect on the hepatotoxicity caused by acrylamide produced during food processing and to discuss the underlying mechanism. The effect of silymarin on the proliferation of HepG2 cells and its protective effect on acrylamide-induced cytotoxicity in HepG2 cells were evaluated by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5- diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. By use of fluorescence probe 2,7-dichlorodi-hydrofluorescein diacetate (DCFHDA) method, the change in intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) of HepG2 cells was detected, and the markers of oxidative damage to lipid, protein and DNA (malondialdehyde, protein carbonyl and 8-hydroxy-2’-deoxyguanosine) were colorimetrically detected. The activities of the intracellular antioxidant enzymes catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) were measured with commercial kits. Our data revealed that the silymarin at 12–96 μg/mL had no cytotoxic effect on HepG2 cells and could increase cell viability and the enzyme activities of CAT, SOD and GSH-Px, reducing intracellular ROS levels and oxidative damage induced by acrylamide to lipid, protein and DNA in HepG2 cells. Therefore, silymarin can protect hepatic cells from oxidative damage caused by food-derived acrylamide.

Key words: silymarin, acrylamide, HepG2