Protective Effects of Genistein and Puerarin against Chronic Alcohol-Induced Liver Injury in Mice via Antioxidant, Anti-inflammatory, and Anti-apoptotic Mechanisms

This study aimed to, investigate the protective effect of genistein or puerarin on chronic alcohol-induced liver injury in vivo and to explore the underlying mechanisms of hepatoprotective effects. Mice were administered genistein or puerarin (0.3 mmol kg(-1) body weight) and gastrically infused with 50% alcohol once per day for 5,weeks. Levels of serum transaminases, serum and hepatic lipids, hepatic antioxidant capacities, inflammation, apoptosis, and histopathological sections were analyzed. Results showed that genistein and puerarin exhibited similar effects in ameliorating alcohol-induced liver injury. However, genistein is more effective than puerarin in decreasing levels of malondialdehyde (1.05 +/- 0.0947 vs 1.28 +/- 0.213 nmol/mg pro, p < 0.05), tumor necrosis factor a (3.12 +/- 0.498 vs 3.82 +/- 0.277 pg/mg pro, p < 0.05), interleukin-6 (1.46 +/- 0.223 vs 1.88 +/- 0.309 pg/mg pro, p < 0:05), whereas puerarin is more effective than genistein in ameliorating serum activities or levels of alanine transaminase (35.8 +/- 3.95 vs 42.6 +/- 6.56 U/L, p < 0.05) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (1.12 +/- 0.160 vs 1.55 +/- 0.150 mmol/L, p < 0.05). In conclusion, both genistein and puerarin effectively alleviate hepatic damage induced by chronic alcohol administration through potential antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, or anti-apoptotic mechanisms.,