Comparative Study on Hepatoprotective Effects of Traditional Herbs, Roots of Angelica gigas Nakai, Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fischer, Zizyphus jujuba Mill., and Fruits of Paeonia lactiflora Pall., on Ethanol-Induced Liver Injury in Mice

Alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) is a major cause of chronic liver disease, with few effective treatments besides alcohol abstinence. Angelicae Gigantis Radix (AG), Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma (GR), Paeoniae Radix (PR), and Zizyphi Fructus (ZF) are traditional herbs used to treat various ailments, including liver diseases. While several studies have reported the beneficial effects of GR on ALD, the effects of AG, PR, and ZF remain underexplored. Therefore, their efficacy and mechanisms against ALD were investigated using an alcohol-related liver injury model. The model was induced by ethanol gavage in C57BL/6J mice for 14 days, followed by oral administration of AG, GR, PR, and ZF one hour post-induction. The administration of these herbs reduced liver weight, and improved serum biomarkers of liver injury (ALT, AST, albumin). The herbs enhanced hepatic antioxidant capacity (GSH, SOD, catalase) and suppressed the production of proinflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β) and apoptotic changes (caspase-3). The mechanisms of action involved lipid-lowering gene modulation through regulation of the cytochrome P450 2E1/Sirtuin 1/Nrf2 pathways. Histopathological and immunohistochemical analyses revealed that these herbs attenuated hepatocyte damage and steatosis via antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiapoptotic effects. These findings suggest that traditional herbs, particularly AG, could be promising alternative therapies for treating ALD.