Hepatoprotective Effect of Albumin Peptide Fractions from Corn Germ Meal against Alcohol-Induced Acute Liver Injury in Mice

Acute alcoholic liver disease can cause serious liver damage. This study reports on the hepatoprotective effect of albumin peptide fractions from corn germ meal (MW < 1 kDa) (APF4) on acute alcohol hepatic damage in mice. In the mice model, the results indicated that APF4 at a dose of 800 mg/kg/bw could markedly boost alcohol metabolism, which was shown in the reduced duration of the loss of the righting reflex; the reduced level of blood alcohol concentration (BAC), cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aminotransferase (AST), triglycerides (TG), and malondialdehyde (MDA) (p < 0.01); the enhanced activity of aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH); and the superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione (GSH) levels being increased by up to 84.02% and 193.22% (p < 0.01) compared to the control group. The antioxidant capability and lipid peroxidation inhibition activity of APF4 may be responsible for its protective effect against liver damage induced by alcohol. The findings suggested that APF4 had the hepatoprotective property against liver damage induced by alcohol.