To observe the therapeutic effects of magnesium isoglycyrrhizinate (MgIG) on acute liver injury induced by paclitaxel and its effect on the levels of IL-6, IL-10 and TNF-α in rats.

Using a random number table method, 50 rats were divided into blank group, model group, MgIG low-dose group (6.25 mg/kg), middle-dose group (12.5 mg/kg) and high-dose group (25 mg/kg). MgIG was given by intraperitoneal injection in 3 dose groups, and the blank group and model group were given equal volume of normal saline, once daily, for 14 days. Except for the control group, the other 4 groups were intraperitoneally injected with paclitaxel 8 mg/kg on the 5th day to establish a rat liver injury model. Rats were sacrificed 24 h after the last administration. Serum was collected to detect alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) values. ELISA mathod was used to detect interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-10 (IL-10) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) level. HE staining was used to observe histopathological changes in the liver of rats in each group.

The ALT levels of the low, medium and high doses group[(43.97±7.18), (42.17±7.67), (33.63±4.09) U/L] and AST levels [(78.06±5.07), (75.83±6.45), (70.40±7.12) U/L] were significantly lower than those [(52.33±5.63), (86.84±8.72) U/L] of the model group (P＜0.05, P＜0.01 or P＜0.001). IL-6 levels in low, medium and high dose groups [(239.97±13.74), (236.14±26.12), (191.34±15.83) ng/L] and IL-10 levels in middle and high dose groups [(30.25±5.25), (37.06±7.73) pg/ml] were significantly lower/higher than those of the model group [(261.02±10.88) ng/L, (23.64±2.09) pg/ml] (P＜0.05, P＜0.01 or P＜0.001). At the same time, levels of TNF-α [(70.83±5.91), (57.83±8.20) ng/L] in the middle and high dose groups were significantly lower than those in the model group [(85.27±6.54) ng/L] (P＜0.01 or P＜0.001). Under the optical microscope, the degree of inflammation in the three dose groups of MgIG was less than that of the model group, and the degree of reduction increased with the dose.

MgIG can protect the liver damage caused by paclitaxel by changing the level of serum inflammatory factors and improving the degree of liver pathological tissue damage in rats.