Hepatoprotective Effect of Floccularia luteovirens (Agaricomycetes) Polysaccharides on Alcohol-Induced Acute Liver Injury in Mice

Floccularia luteovirens mushroom polysaccharides (FLPs) have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects in many inflammatory diseases. However, its protective effect on alcoholic liver injury has not been studied. This study investigated the protective effects of FLPs on acute alcoholic liver injury in mice. After administering FLPs at doses of 200, 400, and 800 mg/kg for 14 days, it was found that FLPs could inhibit the levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and γ-glutamyl transpeptidase (γ-GT) in the serum. FLPs also significantly reduced the levels of four inflammatory factors, interleukin (IL)-1α, IL-1β, IL-33, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in the serum. All dose groups of FLPs could significantly inhibit the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA) in liver tissues. At the same time, they could significantly increase the levels of catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), enhancing the antioxidant capacity of the body, which confirmed the protective therapeutic effects of FLPs against oxidative stress and inflammation in alcoholic liver injury. The Western blot assay investigated the effect of FLPs on the NF-κB/NLRP3 signaling pathway in the liver tissues of mice with alcoholic liver injury, indicating that its mechanism of action may be to inhibit the expression of inflammatory factors such as IL-1β and suppress the NF-κB/NLRP3 inflammasome signaling pathway to achieve antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.