Ganoderma lingzhi Triterpenoids Ameliorate CCl4-Induced Acute Liver Injury in Mice

The liver is a critical organ in drug metabolism and detoxification. Ganoderma lingzhi triterpenoids, a major class of bioactive compounds in G. lingzhi extracts, exhibit liver protective effects with pharmaceutical potential. In this study, we established an acute liver injury model in mice via intraperitoneal injection of 0.25% Carbon tetrachloride(CCl4) olive oil. Prophylactic and therapeutic administration of G. lingzhi triterpenoid extracts were evaluated using alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and hepatic histopathology. Western blot analysis assessed protein expression of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant stress-related pathways (Nrf2/Keap1 and MyD88/NF-κB-p65). Intervention effects on acute liver injury were determined by measuring protein molecular weight following triterpenoid treatment. In summary, G. lingzhi triterpenoids significantly alleviate oxidative stress and inflammatory responses in mice with acute liver injury by activating the KEAP1-Nrf2 antioxidant pathway and inhibiting the NF-κB-p65 and MyD88-mediated inflammatory pathways. These triterpenoids reduced serum transaminase levels, improved hepatic histopathological damage, and exerted effective protective effect on liver tissue. This study provides experimental support for the comprehensive evaluation of G. lingzhi’s anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects.