Figure 3. Protective effect of secoemestrin C in Con A-induced liver injury.Secoemestrin C (SC) was dissolved in DMSO and further diluted with normal saline. Female C57BL/6J mice were pretreated by intraperitoneal injection with SC at 10 mg·kg-1 (SC10) or 1 mg·kg-1 on days -2, -1, and 1 h before i.v. injection with Con A (12 mg/kg). Mice without Con A injection served as controls (NC). (A-C) Serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were measured 8 h after Con A injection. Data shown represent means ± SEM (six mice per group). (D) Liver sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E). The arrow indicates hepatic ecchymosis; the star indicates infiltrated leukocytes, and the triangle shows an area of necrosis (magnification: ×200). (E) Histopathologic scores were evaluated, and the results are presented as the means ± SEM for three mice per group. (F and G) Liver sections were stained with TUNEL staining. Representative images (F) and a bar graph of apoptotic area (G) are shown (magnification: ×200). Data represent the mean ± SEM of three independent experiments. **p < 0.01 and ***p < 0.001 vs. the control (NC) group;##p < 0.01 and##p < 0.001 vs. the Con A-treated group.