Abstract:Objective To observe the effects of matrine (KSJ) on liver injury induced by acetaminophen (APAP) in mice.Methods Forty healthy male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into blank group, model group, KSJ high dose group 2.8 mg/(kg·d), KSJ medium dose group 1.4 mg/(kg·d), and KSJ low dose group 0.7 mg/(kg·d), eight in each group. Blank group and APAP group were injected with 10% glucose solution 10 ml/(kg·d) in the tail vein; KSJ high dose group 2.8 mg/(kg·d), KSJ medium dose group 1.4 mg/(kg·d), KSJ low dose group 0.7 mg/(kg·d) were injected with the corresponding concentration of matrine glucose solution 10 ml/(kg·d), continuous injection for 7 days. One hour after the last injection, acetaminophen (400 mg/kg) was injected intraperitoneally into each group except blank group to establish acute liver injury model. Equal amount of saline was injected intraperitoneally into the blank group. After the end of modeling, fasting within 24 hours but water is allowed. Serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), IL-6, TNF-α, and hepatic histopathology was detected routinely after eyeball blood sampling.Results Compared with the model group, matrine has protective effects on liver injury induced by acetaminophen (APAP) in mice, including lowering serum ALT and AST levels (P < 0.05), increasing SOD activity, lowering MDA content (P <0.05), and reducing the degree of liver pathological and hepatocyte apoptosis. Meanwhile, the levels of IL-6 and TNF-α were reduced (P < 0.05), and the effect was dose dependent.Conclusions Matrine can obviously decrease liver injury induced by acetaminophen (APAP) in mice, which may be related to reducing inflammatory factor levels, reducing oxidative stress, and improving antioxidant capacity.