Protective effect of rutaecarpine against t-BHP-induced hepatotoxicity by upregulating antioxidant enzymes via the CaMKII-Akt and Nrf2/ARE pathways.

Rutaecarpine, an indolopyridoquinazolinone alkaloid isolated from the unripe fruit of Evodia rutaecarpa, has been shown to have cytoprotective potential, but the molecular mechanism underlying this activity remains unclear. Our study was designed to investigate the cytoprotective effect of rutaecarpine against tert-butyl hydroperoxide (t-BHP) and to elucidate its action mechanism of action of rutaecarpine in a cultured HepG2 cell line and in mouse liver. Rutaecarpine decreased t-BHP-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, cytotoxicity, and apoptosis in HepG2 cells. Pretreatment with rutaecarpine prior to the injection of t-BHP significantly prevented the increase in serum levels of AST, ALT, and lipid peroxidation in mice liver. It increased the transcriptional activity of NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) as well as the products of the Nrf2 target genes hemeoxygenase-1 (HO-1), NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1), and glutamate cysteine ligase (GCL). Moreover, rutaecarpine also enhanced the phosphorylation of Akt and Ca