Review
Copyright ©2008 The WJG Press and Baishideng. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Oct 28, 2008; 14(40): 6122-6132
Published online Oct 28, 2008. doi: 10.3748/wjg.14.6122
Natural heme oxygenase-1 inducers in hepatobiliary function
Giovanni Li Volti, David Sacerdoti, Claudia Di Giacomo, Maria Luisa Barcellona, Antonio Scacco, Paolo Murabito, Antonio Biondi, Francesco Basile, Diego Gazzolo, Raul Abella, Alessandro Frigiola, Fabio Galvano
Giovanni Li Volti, Claudia Di Giacomo, Maria Luisa Barcellona, Antonio Scacco, Fabio Galvano, Department of Biological Chemistry, Medical Chemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Catania, Catania 95125, Italy
David Sacerdoti, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Padova, Padova 35100, Italy
Paolo Murabito, Department of Surgery, section of Anesthesiology, University of Catania, Catania 95125, Italy
Antonio Biondi, Francesco Basile, Department of Surgery, Section of General and Oncological Surgery, University of Catania, Catania 95125, Italy
Diego Gazzolo, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit “Cesare Arrigo” Children Hospital, Alessandria 15100, Italy
Diego Gazzolo, Department of Pediatrics, G. Gaslini Children's University Hospital, Genoa 16100, Italy
Raul Abella, Alessandro Frigiola, Perinatal Research Laboratory IRCSS San Donato Milanese, Milan 20100, Italy
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to this work.
Supported by Grants (ex 60%) from MURST (Ministero dell’Università e della Ricerca Scientifica e Tecnologica), Rome, Italy
Correspondence to: Giovanni Li Volti, MD, PhD, Professor of Biochemistry, Department of Biological Chemistry, Medical Chemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Catania, Viale Andrea Doria, 6, Catania 95125, Italy. livolti@unict.it
Telephone: +39-95-7384081 Fax: +39-95-7384220
Received: March 23, 2008
Revised: July 23, 2008
Accepted: July 30, 2008
Published online: October 28, 2008
Abstract

Many physiological effects of natural antioxidants, their extracts or their major active components, have been reported in recent decades. Most of these compounds are characterized by a phenolic structure, similar to that of α-tocopherol, and present antioxidant properties that have been demonstrated both in vitro and in vivo. Polyphenols may increase the capacity of endogenous antioxidant defences and modulate the cellular redox state. Changes in the cellular redox state may have wide-ranging consequences for cellular growth and differentiation. The majority of in vitro and in vivo studies conducted so far have attributed the protective effect of bioactive polyphenols to their chemical reactivity toward free radicals and their capacity to prevent the oxidation of important intracellular components. However, in recent years a possible novel aspect in the mode of action of these compounds has been suggested; that is, the ultimate stimulation of the heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) pathway is likely to account for the established and powerful antioxidant/anti-inflammatory properties of these polyphenols. The products of the HO-catalyzed reaction, particularly carbon monoxide (CO) and biliverdin/bilirubin have been shown to exert protective effects in several organs against oxidative and other noxious stimuli. In this context, it is interesting to note that induction of HO-1 expression by means of natural compounds contributes to protection against liver damage in various experimental models. The focus of this review is on the significance of targeted induction of HO-1 as a potential therapeutic strategy to protect the liver against various stressors in several pathological conditions.

Keywords: Heme oxygenase; Hepatobiliary function; Natural inducers; Carbon monoxide; Oxidative stress