Polyphenols extracted from Coreopsis tinctoria buds exhibited a protective effect against acute liver damage

The present study aims to investigate the constituents, antioxidant activities and hepatoprotective effect of polyphenols extracted from Coreopsis tinctoria buds (CTB-PE) against acute hepatic injury. HPLC analysis showed that six compounds were identified from polyphenolic extracts. The determination of antioxidant activities revealed that the CTB-PE had DPPH radical scavenging activity, ferric-reducing antioxidant power and oxygen radical absorbance capacity. The animal experiments verified that CTB-PE pretreatment ameliorated the D-galactosamine/lipopolysaccharide-induced alterations in histopathological changes, serum biochemical indicators, antioxidant capacity and lipid peroxidation. The potential mechanisms of the hepatoprotective effect might be that CTB-PE treatment significantly enhanced the protein and mRNA expression levels of NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors α (PPARα) and γ (PPARγ). It suggested that the protective effect of CTB-PE against liver damage was likely attributed to eliminate free radicals, inhibit oxidative stress response and mediate inflammatory response.