• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.87-93
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• 2001

A human hepatoma cell line, Hep G2 cells, is reliable for the study of alcohol-induced hepatotoxicity. The aim of this study is to determine the relationship between TNF-${\alpha}$, IL-$1{\alpha}$ production and EtOH-induced cytotoxicity on Hep G2 cells. The cells were incubated with EtOH in the presence of Artemisia Capillaris Herba(AC) for 24 hours and in the absence of AC for 48 hours. Cytoviability and cytokines release were analyzed by MTT assay and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), respectively. After 24 hours of EtOH exposure, the cytoviability had markedly decreased, and the release of cytokines had increased. The increased amount of cytokines contributed to EtOH-induced cytotoxicity. Anti-TNF-${\alpha}$ and IL-$1{\alpha}$ antibodies almost abolished it. Interestingly, EtOH-induced cytotoxicity and cytokines production were inhibited by AC. Moreover, when AC was used in combination with antibodies, there was a marked inhibition of EtOH-induced cytotoxicity. These results suggest that EtOH-induced cytotoxicity may regulate, by various factors, and AC may prevent the cytotoxicity through partial inhibition of the $TNF-{\alpha}$ and IL-$1{\alpha}$ secretion.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.342-347
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• 2011

In the present study, the anticonvulsant effects of Artemisia capillaris Herba (AC) and its major constituent, esculetin (ECT), were tested and the mechanism studied. Locomotion, Myorelaxation, motor coordination and electroshock seizure experiment were conducted in mice. To identify the anticonvulsant mechanism effect of this drug, chemical-induced seizure in mice and the ionic movement in neuroblastoma cells were also observed. The ethanol extract of AC was orally administered to mice 30 min. prior to testing and ECT was intraperitoneally injected. AC and ECT treatment did not change locomotor activities as well as activities on the rota-rod, which indicates that they did not cause a sedative and myorelaxation effect. AC and ECT treatment increased threshold of convulsion induced by electroshock. AC treatment also inhibited convulsion induced by pentylenetetrazole. In the case of strychnine however, only high dose of AC treatment inhibited convulsion. AC and ECT treatment increased the $Cl^-$ influx into the intracellular area in a dose-dependent manner. On the other hand, bicuculline, a GABA antagonist, inhibited the $Cl^-$ influx induced by AC and ECT. These results indicate that ECT induces the anticonvulsive effect of AC extract through the GABAergic neuron.