In vivo protective effect of Porphyra yezoensis polysaccharide against carbon tetrachloride induced hepatotoxicity in mice

Abstract To study the protective effect and possible mechanism of Porphyra yezoensis polysaccharide (PYP) in hepatotoxicity mice, acute liver injury was successfully induced by injecting 0.2% carbon tetrachloride (CCl 4 ) intraperitoneally. Levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in serum and liver homogenate, content of malondialdehyde (MDA), activities of total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) in liver were measured by biochemical methods. Liver index was calculated and pathological changes of the liver tissue were observed microscopically. PYP was found to significantly decrease the activities of ALT and AST ( P P P 4 in mice, and its mechanisms may be related to free radical scavenging, increasing SOD activities and anti-lipid peroxide.