Assessment of the Antifibrotic Activity of Polysaccharides Extracted from Oyster Mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus) Mycelium in the Rats Liver

Abstract

The present study aims at evaluating the hepato-therapeutic activity of polysaccharopeptides (PSP) extracted from Pleurotus ostreatus mycelia on thioacetamide (TAA) - induced liver fibrosis in rats. Experimental hepatic fibrosis was induced in rats by intraperitoneal administration of 200 mg TAA/ Kg b.w./ twice weekly for 8 weeks. Two treatment modalities were implemented in this study; Colchicine (reference group) and PSP (therapeutic group). The results of this study revealed that PSP treatment (25 mg/ Kg b.w./ 3 times weekly for 5 weeks) of fibrotic rats restores hepatic matrix metalloproteinase (pro-MMP-2& -9) activities, the concentrations of MDA and GSH, as well as the relative protein expression of Fas receptor back to normal levels. However, more pronounced increases in hepatic TNF-α and NO concentrations were recorded, compared to untreated fibrotic rats. In addition, PSP treatment increased hepatic relative BCl-2 protein expression and produced lower elevations in the hepatic concentrations of TGF-β1, TIMP-1 and hydroxyproline, as well as hepatic caspase-3 activity, compared to TAA group. The histological examination of the liver tissue had demonstrated that PSP treatment reverses TAA-induced alterations, especially fibrosis (F0), apoptosis (G0) and necrosis (G0), compared to the normal control. In conclusion, experimental liver fibrosis can be treated by PSP, due to its immuno-stimulatory, antioxidant, antifibrotic and anti-necrotic activities.