The structural character of collagen peptides from Andrias davidianus skin and its hepatoprotective effect against alcohol-induced liver injury in mice

The present study aimed at evaluating the hepatoprotective effects of collagen peptides from A.davidianus skin against alcohol-induced liver injury in mice. The collagen was extracted from A. davidianus skin by hydrolyzing of pepsin, and collagen peptides were prepared from this collagen by hydrolyzing of papain. The result of ultraviolet absorption spectroscopy and infrared spectra showed that the collagen peptides demonstrated the existence of triple-helix structure. SDS-PAGE showed that its molecular mass was less than 55ku. The liver injury protections were demonstrated by the fact that the increases in activity of liver AST and ALT caused by alcohol in mice treated with low (50mg/ (kg·d) ) and high (150mg/ (kg·d) ) doses of collagen peptides were significantly inhibited while the MDA content was significantly lowered and inhibited reducing of SOD activity as well. Microscopic observations showed that in the alcohol model group, liver cells were markedly swelled and deformed with inordinate liver cell cords and accompanied inflammatory cell infiltration. However, the liver cell cords of mice treated with low and high concentration of collagen peptides were arranged in order, and liver cells were regular arranged. The result indicated that the collagen peptides could be protected alcohol-induced liver injury.