Effect of Rheum palmatum L. on NF-κB signaling pathway of mice with acute liver failure.

Objective: To explore the regulation effect of Rheum palmatum (R. palmatum) L. on NF-κB signaling pathway of ALF mice.

Methods: The intraperitoneal injection of d-GalN/LPS was employed for the model building. Mice in the treatment group and positive control group were given the R. palmatum L. and bifendate before the model building. Mice in the normal group were given the intraperitoneal injection of equivalent normal saline for continuously 3 d. After 16 h of model building, the blood was collected from eyeballs of mice and then mice were executed. The measurement was performed on the content of ALT, AST, NO and Il-1β in the serum of mice in each group, as well as the activity of Caspase 3 and Caspase 8 in the liver tissue. HE staining was employed to detect the pathological morphology of liver; and the western blot was used to detect the expression of iNOS, COX-2, Bax, Bcl-2, PCNA, NF-κB p65 and IκBα.

Results: The content of ALT, AST, NO and Il-1β in the serum and the activity of Caspase 3 and Caspase 8 in the liver tissue were increased in the mice of ALF model group. Besides, the expression of iNOS, COX-2 and Bax was increased, the expression of Bcl-2 and PCNA was decreased, the phosphorylation of NF-κB p65 and IκBα was significant and the treatment group of R. palmatum L. could inhibit such change.

Conclusions: Through NF-κB signaling pathway, the R. palmatum L. could reduce the content of enzyme of liver function and inflammation factor in the serum of ALF mice, regulate the expression of cell apoptosis-related protein and improve the symptoms of ALF mice.