Abstract
Antihepatotoxic effect of dimethyl-esculetin, the major constituent of herbal drug Artemisia capillaris $T_{HUNBERG}$ (Compositae) which has long been used as folk medicine for gall stone and hepatitis in Asian country (China and Japan, except Korea) was investigated on the rabbit intoxicated with carbon-tetrachloride. Ten rabbits were divided into two parts, group A and B in five each. The group A was injected with carbon-tetrachloride, 0.1ml per kg at begining of the experiments for control. The group B was injected with carbon-tetrachloride soon after 7 days treatment of dimethyl-esculetin, 30mg per day. The results obtained in this experiment were as follows.: 1) Antihepatotoxic activity of dimethyl esuletin on the rabbits intoxicated with carbon tetrachloride has shown the serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase activity and serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase activity decreased respectively. 2) The component of Artemisia capillaris, dimethyl-esculetin, has shown remarkable antihepatotoxic effect.