*2.4. Effects of OPs on Hepatic Dysfunction in Cd-Exposed Mice*

Compared with the control group, the Cd-exposed mice group showed the highest levels of serum alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) (Figure 2). EDTA therapy is the most widely used for treating patients with acute or chronic Cd disease [23]. Thus, it was used as a positive control in this test. The supplement of OPs significantly decreased the levels of serum ALT, AST, ALP, and LDH (*p* < 0.01). The effects of OPs were met even better than that of the positive agent EDTA treatment. OPs exhibited a good ameliorative effect on hepatic dysfunction in Cd-exposed mice.

**Figure 2.** Effect of OPs on the liver function profiles in mice (**A**) ALT: Alanine aminotransferase; (**B**) AST: Aspartate aminotransferase; (**C**) ALP: Alkaline phosphatase; (**D**) LDH: Lactate dehydrogenase; Control: Intraperitoneal injection of 0.9% NaCl (saline) once daily; Cd: Mice were injected intraperitoneally with CdCl2 5 mg/kg daily; EDTA: Mice were injected with CdCl2 (5 mg/kg) intraperitoneally after 1 hour of oral administration with EDTA (100 mg/kg) daily; Cd+L-OPs: Mice were injected with CdCl2 (5 mg/kg) intra-peritoneally after 1 hour of oral administration with a low dose of OPs (100 mg/kg) daily. Mice were injected with CdCl2 (5 mg/kg) intra-peritoneally after 1 h of oral administration with a high dose of OPs (300 mg/kg) daily. The data were expressed as mean ± SEM, *n* = 6 in each group. Compared with the control group, \*\* *p* < 0.01; compared with the Cd group, ## *p* < 0.01.
