Effects of Lonicera caerulea berry extract on lipopolysaccharide-induced toxicity in rat liver cells: Antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic activities

Lonicera caerulea L. berry extract has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The mechanism underlying the inhibitory effect of L. caerulea berry extract on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced toxicity in BRL-3A cells was investigated in this study. It was observed that post-treatment with L. caerulea berry extract inhibited LPS-elicited decreases in catalase and superoxide dismutase activities, total antioxidant capacity, acetylcholinesterase activity, the mRNA expression levels of interleukin-10, and the protein expressions of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) and B-cell lymphoma-2. Furthermore, the extract significantly reduced LPS-induced increases in the activities of aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase, the mRNA expressions of nuclear factor-kappa B and tumour necrosis factor-alpha, and the protein expressions of caspase-3, cleaved caspase-3, cleaved PARP, and Bax. Moreover, the extract suppressed LPS-induced apoptosis of BRL-3A cells. Taken together, the L. caerulea berry extract attenuates LPS-induced liver toxicity via antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic pathways. Additionally, cyanidin-3-glucoside contributes more to these activities of the extract.