Mangiferin exerts hepatoprotective activity against D-galactosamine induced acute toxicity and oxidative/nitrosative stress via Nrf2-NFκB pathways.

Mangiferin, a xanthone glucoside, is well known to exhibit antioxidant, antiviral, antitumor, anti-inflammatory and gene-regulatory effects. In the present study, we isolated mangiferin from the bark of Mangifera indica and assessed its beneficial role in galactosamine (GAL) induced hepatic pathophysiology. GAL (400 mg/kg body weight) exposed hepatotoxic rats showed elevation in the activities of serum ALP, ALT, levels of triglycerides, total cholesterol, lipid-peroxidation and reduction in the levels of serum total proteins, albumin and cellular GSH. Besides, GAL exposure (5 mM) in hepatocytes induced apoptosis and necrosis, increased ROS and NO production. Signal transduction studies showed that GAL exposure significantly increased the nuclear translocation of NFκB and elevated iNOS protein expression. The same exposure also elevated TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-12, IL-18 and decreased IL-10 mRNA expressions. Furthermore, GAL also decreased the protein expression of Nrf2, NADPH:quinine oxidoreductase-1, heme oxygenase-1 and GSTα. However, mangiferin administration in GAL intoxicated rats or coincubation of hepatocytes with mangiferin significantly altered all these GAL-induced adverse effects. In conclusion, the hepatoprotective role of mangiferin was due to induction of antioxidant defense via the Nrf2 pathway and reduction of inflammation via NFκB inhibition.