Dibenzoylmethane (10, 20, 30, 40, 50 μM; 6 hours) treatment concentration-dependently increases the mRNA level of HO-1 but has no effect on the mRNA level of Nrf2 in HepG2 cells. Dibenzoylmethane induces HO-1 and Nrf2 protein expression, and the induction diminishes after 12 h.
Dibenzoylmethane (10, 20, 30, 40, 50 μM; 2 hours) concentration-dependently increases the phosphorylated protein levels of Erk1/2, p38MAPK, JNK, AMPK, and Akt in HepG2 cells. Dibenzoylmethane does not show significant cytotoxicity.

Dibenzoylmethane (200, 500 mg/kg/day; ip; for three consecutive days) pretreatment significantly reduces both the area and the severity of necrosis, as well as the leukocyte infiltration, at a dose of 200 mg/kg in wild-type and Nrf2 knockout mice.
Dibenzoylmethane protectes against CCl4-induced (1:49,v/v, 10 ml/kg) liver damage in wild-type mice.