Hepatoprotective Activity of the Ethanolic Extract of Polygonum multiflorum Thunb. against Oxidative Stress-Induced Liver Injury

Figure 1

PME-induced activation of the Nrf2 pathway and suppression of ROS production in HepG2 cells. (a) Cell viability after treatment with various concentrations of PME for 48 h was detected by an MTS assay. (b–d) The mRNA expression levels of HO-1, NQO1, and GCLc at 6 h after treatment with various concentrations of PME. (e) Treatment with 100 μg/mL PME for 6 h increased the Nrf2 levels in the nuclear fraction (NE), whereas the treatment decreased the levels in the cellular fraction (CE). Lamin B1 and α-tubulin were used as loading controls for NE and CE, respectively. (f) Pretreatment with 100 μg/mL PME reduced 50 mM H₂O₂-induced cellular ROS generation. (g) Pretreatment with 100 μg/mL PME reduced 10 mM APAP-induced increase in superoxide anion production (M2 population). (h) Pretreatment with 100 μg/mL PME reduced 10 mM APAP-induced cytotoxicity. Data are expressed as [()/()] × 100%. p < 0.05, p <0.01; p < 0.001 compared with the control group.

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