• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.311-320
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• 2007

The present study was designed to estimate the protective effect of (-) epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) on ethanol-induced liver injury in rats. Chronic ethanol administration (6 g/kg/day ${\times}$ 60 days) caused liver damage that was manifested by the elevation of markers of liver dysfunction - aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, lactate dehydrogenase, bilirubin and ${\gamma}$-glutamyl transferase in plasma and reduction in liver glycogen. The activities of alcohol metabolizing enzymes such as alcohol dehydrogenase and aldehyde dehydrogenase were found to be altered in alcohol-treated group. Ethanol administration resulted in the induction of cytochrome p450 and cytochrome-$b_{5}$ activities and reduction of cytochrome-c reductase and glutathione-S-transferase, a phase II drug metabolizing enzyme. Further, ethanol reduced the viability of isolated hepatocytes (ex vivo) as assessed by trypan blue exclusion test and induced hepatocyte apoptosis as assessed by propidium iodide staining. Treatment of alcoholic rats with EGCG restored the levels of markers of liver injury and mitigated the alterations in alcohol metabolizing and drug metabolizing enzymes and cyt-c-reductase. Increased hepatocyte viability and reduced apoptotic nuclei were observed in alcohol + EGCG-treated rats. These findings suggest that EGCG acts as a hepatoprotective agent against alcoholic liver injury.

• Proceedings of the Ginseng society Conference
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• 1984.09a
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• pp.21-26
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• 1984

The balance between metabolic activation of xenobiotics and detoxification of their active metabolites may playa vital role in controlling mutagenic and carcinogenic processes. To assess the possible role of P. ginseng C.A. Meyer in detoxification of xenobiotics, we studied the effects of ginseng on several parameters of the monooxygenasd system, including benzo(a) pyrene monooxygenase(AHH) and benzo(a) pyrene epoxide hydratase(EH) as well as effects of ginseng on the conjugation system. Test animals receiving ginseng saponin-fraction induced epoxide hydratase activity to over $150\%$ (20mg/kg b.w.) of the control and increased glutathione transferase activity (GSH-T) up to $140\%$ (20mg/kg b.w.) of the control, whereas no significant changes were observed in the benzopyrene monooxygenase activity (AHH). Such a selective induction of the inactivation enzyme epoxide hydratase, combined with a marked elevation of the detoxifying enzyme glutathione transferase, without a concurrent induction of benzopyrene monooxygenase which is responsible for the formation of carcinogenic intermediates, demonstrates that ginseng has the potential to alter the metabolic course of carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and thereby enhance detoxification. Thus, ginseng may play an important role in the prevention of tumors caused by carcinogens.