Preventive Effect of Protaetia brevitarsis Extract against Toxicity Induced by 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin in Rats

This study was carried out to investigate preventive effects of Protaetia brevitarsis extract (PBE) against the 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD)-induced toxicity in 7-week-old Sprague-Dawley male rats. Forty rats were treated with PBE (50, 100 or 200 ㎎/㎏) for 2 weeks before intraperitoneal injection of TCDD (50 ㎍/㎏). TCDD induced hepatocelluar degeneration and necrosis leading to increases in serum aspartate amintransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels. In biochemical analyses, thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase in hepatic tissues were remarkably increased by TCDD treatment, suggestive of lipid peroxidation and the induction of antioxidant enzymes such as SOD and catalase. Not only increases in serum AST and ALT, but also induction of lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzymes in hepatic tissues caused by TCDD were significantly attenuated by PBE treatment in a dose-dependent manner. Such hepatoprotective effects of PBE were confirmed by histopathological examinations, wherein only mild hepatocytic vacuolations were observed in the liver of rats treated with a high dose (200 ㎎/㎏) of PBE in comparison with severe hepatocytic degenerations administered with TCDD alone. From these results, it is suggested that PBE could be a promising candidate for the protection of liver injury, based on the preventive effects on the morphological and biochemical parameters of hepatocytic injury.