Wei-Hsuan Lin, Huai-Wen Yang, Cheng-Kuang Hsu, Jyun-Kai Jhan, Dan-Yuan Lo
Anthocyanins are abounding in the seed coat of black soybean (BS) (Glycine max (L.) Merrill), which contribute to anti-oxidative and anti-antiinflammatory activities. It leaded us to investigate the protective function of BS against a strong oxidant carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) induced liver damage in rats. BS was baked at 130°C for 5 min and then was submerged in 100°C hot water for 20 min to produce an anthocyanin enriched tea/decoction (BST). Protective function of BST against CCl4-induced liver damage in Sprague-Dawely rats was investigated with six experimental groups: control, high BST (1 g BS/kg bw), CCl4 (0.5 ml 20% CCl4), CCl4 + silymarin (0.2 g/kg bw), CCl4 + low BST (0.1 g BS/kg bw) and CCl4 + high BST (1 g BS/kg bw). BST enhanced GSH and GSSH contents, as well as antioxidant enzymes activities (superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and glutathione reductase (GR) activities) in the liver tissue of normal rats. BST also attenuated the elevation of serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (GOT) and glutamate pyruvate transaminase (GPT) levels in CCl4 treated rats. Liver histopathology revealed that BST reduced fatty liver and liver fibrosis caused by CCl4. It was suggested that anthocyanins in the seed coat of black soybean contributed to such hepatoprotective effect.