Abstract: To study the preventive effect of total flavonoids from Nymphaea candida (NCTF) on carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄) induced liver injury in mice and its mechanism.Sixty mice were equally randomized to six groups:normal group,model group,dimethyl diphenyl bicarboxylate (DDB,150 mg/kg) group and NCTF (50,100,200 mg/kg) group with intragastric administration for seven days.One hour after the last medication,the mice in all groups (except the control group) were intraperitoneal injection of 0.12%CCl₄ soybean oil solution 0.2 mL/10 g.Eight hours later,the eye balls of the mice were removed,blood taken;the mice were then killed,liver and spleen was collected.As compared with the model group,the levels of serum alanine aminotrasferas (ALT),aspartate aminotrasferas (AST),interleukin-6 (IL-6),tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α),liver and spleen index in NCTF group (100,200 mg/kg) as well as liver homogenate malondialde (MDA),and nitric oxide (NO) were notably reduced (P<0.05);the levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) were significantly improved (P<0.05).Pretreatment with NCTF at different doses alleviated histopathological changes induced by CCl₄.NCTF had a protective effect on CCl₄ induced acute liver injury in mice,and its mechanism might be related to anti-oxidant and inhibiting of releasing inflammatory cytokines.

Key words: Nymphaea candida Presl, total flavonoids, carbon tetrachloride, liver injury, hepatoprotective