Effect of Subfractions of Carthamus tinctorius L. Semen on the Lipid Peroxidation and Oxygen Free Radical Scavenging Enzyme Activities in CCl_4$-induced Hepatotoxic Rats

홍화자 분획물의 사염화탄소 유발 간손상 흰쥐에서 지질과산화와 oxygen free radical 제거 효소 활성도에 미치는 영향

Previous studies have shown that methanol extract and its butanol fraction of Carthamus tinctorius L. Semen have the hepatoprotective effect on the CCl4-induced hepatotoxicity. The hepatoprotective effect of the subfractions of butanol fraction has been evaluated by analyzing oxygen free radical scavenging enzyme activities and histopathological examinations. In BS-5 subfraction treated group, the activity of superoxide dismutase has been significantly increased as compared with that of CCl4, treated rats. Antioxidant activity has been evaluated by the examination of the scavenging activity against 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical. BS-5 subfraction has shown strong antioxidant activities. The histopathological examination showed that the treatment of BS-5 subfraction has relieved the ballooning degeneration of hepatocytes which had been generated by CCl4. It appears that the protective effect of BS-5 subfraction would be mediated of the attenuation of lipid peroxidation by acting as a free radical scavenger, which were based on the increase of superoxide dismutase activity.