Effects of Puerariae Flos and Puerariae Radix extracts on antioxidant enzymes in ethanol-treated rats

This study was performed to investigate the effect of Puerariae Flos (PF) a nd Puerariae Radix (PR) water extracts on the activities and mRNA expressio n of three hepatic antioxidant enzymes in ethanol-treated rats. Male Spragu e-Dawley rats were divided into four groups, a control, ethanol-treated, et hanol plus PF-treated, and ethanol plus PR-treated group with seven rats pe r group. Ethanol (25% v/v, 5 g/kg body weight) was orally administered once a day for 5 weeks. The PF and PR water extracts were supplemented in a die t based on 1.2 g of raw PF or PR/kg body weight/day. Ethanol administration without the PF or PR supplement significantly lowered the activities of he patic Cu/Zn SOD and catalase (CAT), whereas it increased the hepatic GSH-Px activity. However, the PF and PR supplementation resulted in a significant increase in the Cu/Zn SOD and/or CAT activities and a significant decrease in the GSH-Px activity in the ethanol-treated rats. The mRNA levels of the se antioxidant enzymes in the ethanol-treated rats were normalized to the c ontrol level by the PF or PR supplement. The hepatic glutathione content, w hich was significantly lower in the ethanol-treated group than in the contr ol group, was also normalized to the control level by supplementing with ei ther PF or PR. The PF or PR supplement resulted in lowering the hepatic mal ondialdehyde. to the control level in the ethanol-treated rats.