Protective effect of Salvia miltiorrhiza polysaccharides on liver injury in chickens

This study investigated the effects of Salvia miltiorrhiza polysaccharides (SMPs) on the injury of chicken hepatocytes in vitro and in vivo. In in vitro studies primary cultured hepatocytes were isolated by 2-step collagenase perfusion. Carbon tetrachloride (CCL4) was added to the hepatocytes to establish a hepatocyte injury model. Hepatocytes were treated with different concentrations of SMPs to detect the protective effects of SMPs on CCL4-induced hepatocyte injury. The results of the control group showed that chicken hepatocytes grew well and their morphology was normal. After CCL4 treatment, the activity of alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartate transaminase (AST) of hepatocytes increased compared with the normal control group. SMPs treatment downregulated the contents of ALT, AST, and malondialdehyde (MDA), and upregulated the contents of glutathione (GSH) and cytochrome P450 (CYP450). An acute chicken liver injury model was established in vivo with 2.0 mL/kg 50% CCL4. Oral administration of SMP at different doses exhibited preventive success. The results showed that compared with the control group, the contents of total protein (TP), albumin (Alb), and GSH in the liver injury model group were significantly decreased and the levels of liver index, ALT, AST, and MDA were significantly increased. In contrast, in the SMP group the contents of TP, Alb, and GSH were significantly increased, and the levels of liver index, ALT, AST, and MDA were significantly decreased compared with the model group. Therefore, we conclude that SMPs have good protective effect on chicken liver damage in vivo and in vitro.