• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.285-290
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• 2011

The rhizome of Alisma orientale Juzep (Alismataceae) has been used as a crude drug for diabetes, edema, inflammation and urinary disturbances in oriental medicine. Recent animal studies have shown that the extract of Alisma orientale rhizome (AOR) can potently lower high levels of serum lipids and improve insulin resistance, which are usually detected in patients and animals with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. So, we studied the antioxidative effects of AOR extracts and fraction in vitro and their protective effects against acute hepatotoxicity induced by $CCl_4$ in vivo.. We then investigated the effects of each fraction on hepatotoxicity induced by tert-butyl hydroperoxide (t-BHP). DAOR (dichloromethane fraction of the Alisma orientale rhizome) scavenged free radicals and superoxide anions. DAOR protected against $CCl_4$ induced hepatotoxicity. DAOR had hepatoprotective and antioxidative effects against t-BHP-induced hepatotoxicity in HepG2 cells and in rats.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.207-215
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• 2006

Sachungwhan reduced hepatotoxicity induced by carbon tetrachloride($CCl_4$). Improved liver function was observed by measuring the activities of aspartate aminotransferase(AST), alanine aminotransferase(ALT), alkaline phosphatase(ALP), blood urea nitrogen(BUN), creatinine(CRE), total cholesterol(TCHO), triglyceride(TG), low density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-CHO), high density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-CHO), total protein(TP), albumin(ALB) and total bilirubin(BIL) in serum. Hepatic parameters monitored were levels of cholesterol(CHO), triglyceride(TG), malondialdehyde(MDA), content of cytochrome P450(CYP), level of glutathione(GSH), and activities of NADPH-CYP reductase, superoxide dismutase(SOD), catalase(CAT), glutathione S-transferase(GST), glutathione reductase(GR), glutathione peroxidase(GPx). The histopathological examination showed that the treatment of Sachungwhan relieved the ballooning degeneration of hepatocytes which had been generated by $CCl_4$. The results suggested that hepatoprotective effects of Sachungwhan possibly are due to their promising antioxidative activity.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.663-668
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• 2011

Galgeun-tang (GGT) has been a great source for treating cold diseases in the folk medicine recipe. Carbon tetrachloride ($CCl_4$) is one type of hepatotoxin that can eventually cause liver injury. During the experiment, we first studied the protective effects of GGT against $CC_4$-induced hepatotoxicity. GGT was pretreated for 3 h, and 1% $CCl_4$ was added to mouse primary liver cells. After 4 h, ROS generation and expression of antioxidant enzymes (catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx)) were analyzed by FACS and real time PCR. Also, the activities of ALT and LDH were measured using cultured medium. The hepatic levels of TNF-alpha and iNOS, which are related to inflammation and stress response gene, HSP72 and HO-1 were analyzed by PCR or real time PCR. Liver tissues were analyzed by HE stain. From the observation, we discovered that GGT treatment protects $CCl_4$-induced hepatotoxicity, and that GGT pretreatment decreases ROS generation, TNF-alpha and iNOS expression. However, gene expression of CAT, SOD, GPx, HSP72 and HO-1 were increased by GGT. These results lead to the conclusion that GGT has protective effects against $CCl_4$-induced hepatotoxicity.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.167-172
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• 1996

The studies were attempted to investigate the therapeutic effect of Solanum lyratum extract(SLE) on the liver damage induced by carbon tetrachloride in rats. Male rats (Sprangue-Dawley) were treated with subchronic concentration of $CCl_4$, which was 1 mg/kg of $CCl_4$ via per oral administration daily for three days. The level of serum cholesterol, transaminase, bilirubin and BSP were measured. Treatment of SLE significantly decreased the increment in serum transaminase activities, total cholesterol and enlargement of liver but serum bilirubin was not reduced. The protective effect was observed when SLE was given daily for 4 weeks after $CCl_4$ treated for 3 days. SLE administration to rats prevented the development of fatty change, necrosis, and fibrosis induced by $CCl_4$. The results suggest that SLE has appreciable therapeutic effect on $CCl_4$ induced hepatotoxicity.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.407-416
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• 1996

The reactive intermediates formed during the metabolism of therapeutic agents, toxicants and carcinogens by cytochromes P450 are frequently capable of covalently binding to tissue macromolecules and causing tissue damage. It has been shown that YH439, a congener of malotilate, is effective in suppressing hepatic P450 2E1 expression. The present study was designed to further establish the mechanistic basis of YH439 protection against toxicant by assessing its effects against chemical-mediated potentiated hepatotoxicity. Retinoyl palmitate (Vit-A) pretreatment of rats for 7 days substantially enhanced carbon tetrachloride hepatotoxicity, as supported by an ${\sim}5-fold$ increase in serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity, as compared to $CCl_4$ treatment alone. The elevation of ALT activity due to Vit-A was completely blocked by the treatment of $GdCl_3$ a selective inhibitor of Kupffer cell activity. Concomitant pretreatment of rats with both YH439 and Vit-A resulted in a 94% decrease in Vit-A-potentiated $CCl_4$ hepatotoxicity. YH439 was also effective against propyl sulfide-potentiated $CCl_4-induced$ hepatotoxicity. Whereas propyl sulfide (50 mg/kg, 7d) enhanced $CCl_4-induced$ hepatotoxicity by >5-fold, relative to $CCl_4$ treatment alone, concomitant treatment of animals with both propyl sulfide and YH439 at the doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg prevented propyl sulfide-potentiated $CCl_4$ hepatotoxicity by 35% and 90%, respectively. Allyl sulfide, a suppressant of hepatic P450 2E1 expression, completely blocked the propyl sulfide-enhanced hepatotoxicity, indicating that propyl sulfide potentiation of $CCl_4$ hepatotoxicity was highly associated with the expression of P450 2E1 and that YH439 blocked the propyl sulfide-enhanced hepatotoxicity through modulation of P450 2E1 levels. Propyl sulfide- and $CCl_4-induced$ stimulation of lipid peroxidation was also suppressed by YH439 in a dose-related manner, as supported by decreases in malonedialdehyde production. The role of P450 2E1 induction in the potentiation of $CCl_4$ toxicity and the effects of YH439 were further evaluated using pyridine as a P450 2E1 inducer. Pyridine pretreatment substantially enhanced the $CCl_4$ hepatotoicity by 23-fold, relative to $CCl_4$ alone. YH439, however, failed to reduce the pyridine-potentiated toxicity, suggesting that the other form(s) of cytochroms P450 inducible by pyridine, but not suppressible by YH439 treatment, may play a role in potentiating $CCl_4-induced$ hepatotoxicity. YH439 was capable of blocking cadmium chloride-induced liver toxicity in mice. These results demonstrated that YH439 efficiently blocks Vit-A-enhanced hepatotoxiciy through Kupffer cell inactivation and that the suppression of P450 2E1 expression by YH439 is highly associated with blocking of propyl sulfide-mediated hepatotoxicity.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.66-72
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• 1992

In order to test relationships between hepatotoxicity and transmethylation, activities of protein methylases and SAM (S-adenosyl-L-methionine)-synthetase were examined in liver tissues of rats treated with $CCl_4$. Also the concentrations of SAM and SAH were measured by HPLC in rat liver. The results are as follows. (1). Activities of protein methylases were not significantly changed in 24 hours after $CCl_4$ treatment. However, in 48 hours, activities of protein methylases were significantly increased in comparison with that of control. (2). Activity of SAM-synthetase was increased steadily in the time course after $CCl_4$ treatment. (3). S-adenosyl-L-methionine concentration of liver tissues in $CCl_4$-treated group was elevated in 24 hours, and then declined thereafter. But the SAH concentration was slightly decreased in the time course after $CCl_4$ treatment. These results indicate that SAM was very actively used in transmethylation reactions of $CCl_4$ damaged rat liver, suggesting the strong relationships between hepatotoxicity and transmethylation phenomena.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.301-309
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• 2007

Paecilomyces tenuipes (PT), one of the Ascomycetes family, has been used for medicinal purposes due to its broad pharmacological activities. The present study was undertaken to investigate the hepatoprotective effects of PT water extracts against $CCl_4$-induced hepatotoxicity in primary cultures of adult rat hepatocytes. When the extract of PT was directly added into the culture medium at 1, 2, and 5 mg/ml, the extracts not only reduce the $CCl_4$-induced elevation of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), lactate dehydrogenase, and lipid peroxide, but also protect cultured hepatocytes from $CCl_4$-induced reduction of reduced glutathione, glutathione reductase, glutathione-S-transferase, glutathione peroxidase, catalase and superoxide dismutase. In addition, the effects of PT water extracts on cytochrome P450 enzymes were relatively marginal, indicating that the hepatoprotective effects of PT extract against $CCl_4$-induced toxicity might not be due to the inhibition of $CCl_4$ activation. In conclusion, the PT extracts were effective in protecting against $CCl_4$ induced hepatotoxicity in hepatocyte cultures, at least in part, by scavenging free radicals, and by modulating enzyme systems involved in cellular oxidative stress.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.28-36
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• 2004

The purpose of this study was to investigate the pharmacological effects of low-esterified pectin on carbon tetrachloride $(CCL_4)-induced$ hepatotoxicity in rats. The study included two experiments. In the first experiment the animals were given daily $CCL_4$ through gavage for 7 days and then 10, 50, or 250 mg/kg b.w. of pectin for 21 days. At the end of experiment rats were killed within 24 hours. The increased bilirubin level, enhanced alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase activity in plasma induced by $CCL_4$ were partly normalized by pectin administration in a dose-dependent manner. The pectin treatment also resulted in significant recovery of $CCL_4-induced$ decrease of the liver glycogen content. In addition, pectin significantly improved $CCL_4-induced$ alterations of pro-oxidant and antioxidant biochemical parameters in liver and plasma compared to those of rats administered $CCL_4$. In the second experiment the animals were given daily 10, 50 or 250 mg/ kg b.w. of pectin for 21 days before a 7-day administration of $CCL_4$. Rats were killed 24 hours after the end of experiment. Pretreatment with pectin before $CCL_4$ administration resulted in significantly inhibited increase of the blood enzymatic activities of alanine and aspartate aminotransferases and bilirubin level in a dose-dependent manner. Also, preliminary administration of pectin prevented elevation of malondialdehyde and conjugated diene levels in liver and plasma as well as a reduction of glutathione content in liver of rats given $CCL_4$. These results suggest that low-esterified pectin exert healing and preventive effects on $CCL_4-induced$ hepatotoxicity in rats.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.165-171
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• 1991

Effects of forced physical exercise on the CCl4 hepatotoxicity were examined in adult female rats. Rats were treated with CCl4 (2 mmol/kg, ip) and introduced into a cylindrical cage rotating at 9 rpm for 20 min/hr for 6 hr. Eighteen hr following the termination of exercise serum sorbitol dehydrogenase (SDH), glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT), glutamic pyruvic transaminase (GPT) activities and glucose-6-phosphatase activity were determined as parameters for hepatotoxicity. Physical exercise inhibited the $CCI_{4-}$induced increases in SDH, GOT, GPT activity, and glucose-6-phosphatase activity were determined as parameters for hepatotoxicity.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.977-982
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• 2007

For the development of novel hepatoprotective agents, C2, C3, C23 and C28 functional groups on asiatic acid were modified, and the prepared compounds were evaluated for their hepatoprotective effects. Among the prepared compounds, 9, 13 and 16 showed significant hepatoprotective activities against CCl4- and galactosamine (GaIN)-induced hepatotoxicity. Especially, compound 9 showed the most significant hepatoprotective effects against GaIN-induced hepatotoxicity (66.4% protection at 50 μM) and moderate hepatoprotective activities against CCl4-induced hepatotoxicity (20.7% protection at 50 μM).