CYP450-Mediated Detoxification and NF-κB/NLRP3-Driven Mechanisms in Emodin-Induced Hepatotoxicity in vitro and in vivo

Emodin, a bioactive compound abundant in Chinese medicinal herbs, possesses broad therapeutic potential but raises safety concerns due to conflicting reports of hepatotoxicity. This study investigated the toxicological mechanisms underlying emodin-induced liver injury. We showed that emodin induced dose-dependent cytotoxicity and hepatic injury in HepG2 cells. Moreover, emodin (400 mg/kg) induced hepatotoxicity in mice after administered for three weeks.This study delineates the metabolic detoxification pathways of emodin and elucidates its toxicological mechanisms. RNA sequencing was performed on liver tissue from wild-type C57BL/6 mice with and without emodin.