Inhibitory effects of Angelicae sinensis and sodium ferulate on acute inflammatory liver injury and expression of ICAM-1 and E-selectin in mice

AIM: To explore the effects of Angelicae sinensis preparation and sodium ferulate on inflammatory liver injury induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and their molecule mechanism. METHODS: ICR mice were divided into five groups: Angelicae sinensis group, sodium ferulate group, dexamethasone group, inflammation control group and normal group. The model of inflammatory injury in mice was set up by tail vein injection with the bacillus calmette-guerin (BCG) and LPS respectively prior and posterior to administration of those tested drugs. The tested drugs (the preparations of Angelica sinensis, sodium ferulate and dexamethasone) and normal saline were given respectively to the corresponding group. The pathological observation of the liver tissues in mice was made for the intensity of inflammatory liver injuries. The immunohistochemical detection and comparison were performed for the expression of ICAM-1 and E-selectin proteins in the liver tissues in those mice. RESULTS: The intensities of liver inflammatory injuries in mice from drug-treated groups were obviously lighter than that from the inflammation control group (P<0.01). The expressions of ICAM-1 and E-selectin proteins in the liver tissues of mice from the inflammation control group were not only significantly higher than that in normal control, but also obviously higher than that from drug-treated groups (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Angelica sinensis and sodium ferulate alleviate inflammatory liver injury induced by injection of LPS. Their suppressive effects on inflammatory liver injury may be associated with the decrease in the expression of ICAM-1 and E-selectin proteins.