Inhibitory effect of CDA-II, a urinary preparation, on aflatoxin B1-induced oxidative stress and DNA damage in primary cultured rat hepatocytes

The effects of CDA-II (cell differentiation agent II; a urinary preparation) on both aflatoxin B1 (AFB1)-induced cell injury and DNA damage were investigated using cultured rat hepatocytes. CDA-II was able to suppress both the lipid peroxidation and lactate dehydrogenase leakage induced by AFB1. Glutathione (GSH) depletion by AFB1 was replenished by CDA-II treatment. Under these experimental conditions, CDA-II enhanced the activity of GSH peroxidase, but not GSH S-transferase. By evaluation of unscheduled DNA synthesis, CDA-II reduced AFB1-induced DNA damage in hepatocyte cultures. These findings suggest that CDA-II can inhibit cytotoxicity of AFB1 through enhancing the activity of GSH peroxidase and preventing GSH depletion.