Effects of Korean Citrus junos and Medicinal Herbs on Liver Protection and Lipid Metabolism of Alcohol Fed Rats

In order to investigate whether or not the alcohol-treated rat liver cells can be protected by Korean Citrus junos and medicinal herbs, We compared the serum biochemistry of rats administered both alcohol and the complex of Korean Citrus junos and medicinal herbs to control rats treated with alcohol alone. The activities of Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) in the citron 3 (Citron 3, less mellowed citron which was ripened for three months)＋Phellinus linteus, Alnus japonica, Dendropanax morbifera and citron 4 (Citron 4, completely mellowed citron which was ripened fer four months)＋Phaseolus radiatus, Cordyceps militaris group were significantly low when compared with the negative control group (p<0.05). The levels of triglyceride (TG) in all experimental groups were significantly lower than the negative control group (p<0.05). The concentrations of total cholesterol in the citron 3＋Phellinus linteus, Atnus japonica, Dendropanax morbifera and citron 4＋Phaseolus radiatus, Cordyceps militaris, Phellinus linteus were lower than the negative control group (p<0.05). The activities of alcohol dehydyogenase (ADH) in all experimental groups were significantly high when compared with the normal control group (p<0.05). These results suggest that the complex of Korean Citrus junos and medecinal herbs could be an excellent candidate for protecting vat liver cell damage induced by alcohol.