The traditional ayurvedic medicine, Eugenia jambolana (Jamun fruit), decreases liver inflammation, injury and fibrosis during cholestasis.

BACKGROUND

Cholestasis is a common disease of the liver. Chronic cholestasis eventually leads to hepatic cirrhosis and fibrosis, and rodent chronic cholestasis models are used to study aspects of fibrosis and cirrhosis. Cholestasis-induced liver injury and fibrosis are associated with increased oxidative stress and inflammation. Few pharmacological therapies exist for treatment of cholestasis or cirrhosis, but it is known that humans with better nutritional intake are less likely to develop certain types of cirrhosis. Eugenia jambolana (Jamun) is a tropical berry fruit rich in antioxidant anthocyanin compounds.

OBJECTIVE

As anthocyanins decrease cellular lipid peroxidation and oxidative stress, it was hypothesized that Jamun fruit extract (JFE) administration could protect against cholestatic liver injury and inflammation in mice.

METHODS

Starting 24 h after sham or bile-duct ligation (BDL) surgery, male C57Bl/6 mice were administered vehicle or JFE (100 mg/kg, po) for 10 days.

RESULTS

Mice that underwent BDL had elevated serum ALT levels, which were reduced to 60% by JFE treatment. Likewise, BDL caused hepatic inflammation, macrophage infiltration, fibrosis and necrosis, all of which were largely improved by JFE. Interestingly, hepatoprotection was observed in JFE-treated BDL mice, despite suppressed transporter expression and increased hepatic bile acid concentrations.

CONCLUSIONS

Jamun fruit phytochemicals decreased hepatic inflammation and oxidative stress, and protected against hepatocellular injury in mice. Jamun warrants further investigation as a potential antioxidant/anti-inflammatory therapy not only to treat cholestasis but also other liver diseases with an inflammatory component.