Protective Effect of Baihu Decoction on the Experimental Acute Heat Stressed Mice

PurposeTo investigate the protective effects of Baihu decoction on the experimental acute heat stress of mice.

MethodThe mice were heat-treated by biochemical incubator method. Before the heat-treatment, the mice were given two doses of Baihu decoction. At the end of the experiment, the blood and liver and jejunum tissues of the mice were collected to detect the levels of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), creatine kinase (CK) and UREA, content of liver tissue malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH) and activity of total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD). The pathological changes of liver tissue and jejunum were observed.

ResultAfter heat-treatment, the weight of mice was significantly reduced (P<0.05). Serum ALT, AST, CK and UREA levels of the heat stress control group were significantly increased (P<0.05), GSH content and T-SOD activity in liver tissues were significantly decreased (P<0.05), and MDA content was significant increased (P<0.05); the major lesions in liver tissue were central venous congestion and irregular arrangement of liver cells. Serum levels of ALT, AST and UREA in Baihu decoction high dose group were significantly decreased, GSH content and T-SOD activity of liver tissue were increased, and the central venous congestion of the liver tissue was reduced with liver cells arranged neatly.

ConclusionBaihu decoction has a good protective effect on experimental acute heat stress mice, and can effectively alleviate liver tissue damage caused by heat stress in mice.