The Serum and Immunohistochemical Analysis on the Anti-infammatory Effect of Aqueous Extract from Artemisia capillaris in the Liver of Lipopolysaccharide-injected Rat

We investigated the anti-inflammatory effects of aqueous extract of Artemisia capillaris Thunb. (AEAC), a traditional Korean herb for remedying liver disease, for suppression in the process of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation in the liver of rat. Level of glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (GOT), glutamate pyruvate transaminase (GPT) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) was increased in the serum of LPS-treated rats compared to normal, however, in the rats pretreated with AEAC, the increase of GOT, GPT and LDH value was arrested. More severe histological changes of liver such as cloudy swelling, hydropic degeneration, Kupffer cell reaction and inflammatory cells infiltration were demonstrated in the rats challenged with LPS compared with normal. Fewer scores of these changes were observed in rats pretreated with AEAC. Immunohistochemical analysis showed that while the expression of the nuclear factor (NF)-kBp65, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-$\alpha$ and COX (cyclooxygenase)-2 tended to increase, that of inhibitory (I)-kBa was decreased in the hepatocytes of rats challenged with LPS. A slight decline of NF-kBp65, TNF-$\alpha$ and COX-2, but increase of I-kB$\alpha$ were observed in the hepatocytes of the rats pretreated with AEAC. These results suggest that AEAC may act as a therapeutic agent for liver disease through a regulation of inflammation-related proteins.

인진추출물이 lipopolysaccharide주입에 의한 흰쥐 간의 염증반응에 미치는 혈청학적 및 면역조직화학적 영향

인진추출물의 LPS에 의한 흰쥐 간의 염증반응에 미치는 영향을 혈청학적, 조직병리학적, 면역조직화학적으로 분석하였다. 혈청 GOT, GTP, LDH 는 LPS에 의해 증가하며 이는 인진추출물의 전처리에 의해 저해되며 특히 150 mg/kg 투여군의 GOT와 50 mg/kg 투여군의 LDH가 대조군에 비해 유의성을 보였다. 조직병리학적으로 보아 인진추출물의 전처리는 LPS에 의해 나타나는 혼탁종창, 수포성변성, 염증성 세포침윤, Kupper세포반응 등을 저해하였다. 염증관련 인자에 대한 면역조직화학적 분석으로 보아 인진추출물의 전처리는 LPS주사군의 NF-kBp65, TNF-$\alpha$, COX-2 면역반응보다 약한 반응을, I-kB$\alpha$는 LPS주사군보다 강한 세포질내 면역반응을 보였다. 이로 보아 인진추출물은 LPS에 의한 간손상에 대해 유효한 기능을 가지며 이에 NF-kB를 비롯한 염증관련 단백질의 발현이 작용함을 알 수 있다.