• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.264-269
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• 2013

Silymarin has been introduced fairly recently as a hepatoprotective agent. But its mechanisms of action still have not been well established. The aim of this study was to make alcoholic fatty liver model of rats in a short time and investigate silymarin's protective effects and possible mechanisms on alcoholic fatty liver for rats. The model of rat's alcoholic fatty liver was induced by intragastric infusion of ethanol and high-fat diet for six weeks. Histopathological changes were assessed by hematoxylin and eosin staining (HE). The activities of alanine transarninase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST), the levels of total bilirubin (TBIL), total cholesterol (TC) and triglyceride (TG) in serum were detected with routine laboratory methods using an autoanalyzer. The activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and the level of malondialdehyde (MDA) in liver homogenates were measured by spectrophotometry. The TG content in liver tissue was determined by spectrophotometry. The expression of nuclear factor-${\kappa}B$ (NF-${\kappa}B$), intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in the liver were analyzed by immunohistochemistry. Silymarin effectively protected liver from alcohol-induced injury as evidenced by improving histological damage situation, reducing ALT and AST activities and TBIL level in serum, increasing SOD and GPx activities and decreasing MDA content in liver homogenates and reducing TG content in liver tissue. Additionally, silymarin markedly downregulated the expression of NF-${\kappa}B$ p65, ICAM-1 and IL-6 in liver tissue. In conclusion, Silymarin could protect against the liver injury caused by ethanol administration. The effect may be related to alleviating lipid peroxidation and inhibiting the expression of NF-${\kappa}B$.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.65 no.3
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• pp.221-230
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• 2022

We investigated the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of silymarin. The antioxidant activity was evaluated using 1,1-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH) and 2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radicals scavenging assays. Silymarin scavenged 71% of DPPH radicals and 78% of ABTS radicals at a concentration of 1 mg/mL, respectively. Silymarin effectively inhibited the oxidative damage of DNA, and the oxidative modifications of human serum proteins and Cu,Zn-SOD. Also silymarin effectively inhibited H₂O₂- and LPS-induced cell death as well as the generation of reactive oxygen species and DNA fragmentation by H₂O₂ and LPS. The results suggested that silymarin might be an effective natural antioxidant and anti-inflammatory material.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.37-46
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• 1995

The experiment was designed to investigate the sustained release dosage form of silymarin (SL) from chitosan (CS) carrier. Solid dispersed system was prepared by mixing the drug with chitosan. This solid dispersed system was cross-linked by glutaraldehyde, formaldehyde, acetaldehyde and butylaldehyde, respectively. The dissolution rates of these preparations were compared with each other in vitro. The silymarin was mired with anionic alginate gel and bead was prepared by dropping this mixture to cationic chitosan solution including calcium chloride. Chitosan encapsulated alginate bead after drying in the oven was investigated for the dissolution rate. The dissolution rate of SL-CS mixture was delayed with increase in the amounts of CS and the concentration of aldehyde. The effect on the delay of dissolution rate was in the increasing order of formaldehyde, glutaraldehyde, acetaldehyde, butylaldehyde. The dissolution rate of chitosan encapsulated alginate bead was parallel with the concentration of chitosan in diluted hydrochloric acid solution and delayed with increase in the concentration of chitosan in phosphate buffer solution.

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.56-56
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• 2003

Carduus marianus extract (formally called silymarin) have been used mainly as a medicament for hepatobiliary diseases. The major component of silymarin is silybin, which constitutes between 50 and 70% of the drug and is the major active component. Many experiments show the efficacy of silybin parenterally administerated. But, its bioavailability is low after oral administration due to its low solubility in water. (omitted)

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2003.04a
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• pp.296.2-296.2
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• 2003

Carduus marianus extract (formally called silymarin) have been used mainly as a medicament for hepatobiliary diseases. The major component of silymarin is silybin, which constitutes between 50 and 70％ of the drug and is the major active component. Many experiments show the efficacy of silybin parenterally administerated. But, its bioavalability is low after oral administration due to its low solubility in water. (omitted)

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.146-148
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• 1998

The increased AST and ALT activities of rat serum disturbed by $CCl_4-intoxication$ intoxication were significantly inhibited by silymarin and biphenyl dimethylene dicarboxylate at the oral doses of 150 and 5 mg/kg, respectively. The combined administration of the drugs showed remarkable inhibition of the enzyme activities. This fact may suggest that the two drugs have potentiative action in this experiment.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Toxicology Conference
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• 2001.10a
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• pp.130-130
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• 2001

Silymarin, a polyphenolic flavonoid antiodant, has been shown to have anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, and anticarcinogenic effects. In the present study, we report the inhibitory effect of silymarin on nitric oxide (NO) production and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) mRNA expression in macrophages. In vivo administration of silymarin attenuated NO production of peritoneal macrophages in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated mice.(omitted)

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.54 no.2
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• pp.97-101
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• 2010

Recently, it was found that the formation of reactive metabolites by cytochrome P450s as well as the depletion of glutathione would play important roles in hepatotoxicity induced by 1-bromopropane. In the present study, possible roles of anti-oxidants in 1-bromopropane-induced hepatotoxicity were investigated in male ICR mice. The hepatotoxicity induced by 1-bromopropane was significantly protected by the co-treatment with either N-acetyl cysteine or silymarin. 1-Bromopropane-induced decrease in hepatic glutathione level was significantly protected by the pretreatment with N-acetyl cysteine. Taken together, the present results indicated that the reduction of hepatic glutathione level caused by 1-bromopropane treatment might be associated in 1-bromopropane-induced hepatotoxicity in mice.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.402-417
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• 2023

Objective: Liver fibrosis is a highly conserved wound-healing response and the final common pathway of chronic inflammatory injury. This study aimed to evaluate the potential anti-fibrotic effect of the combination of Rhei Radix et Rhizoma water extract (RW) and silymarin in a thioacetamide (TAA)-induced liver fibrosis model. Methods: The liver fibrosis mouse model was established through the intraperitoneal injection of TAA (1 week 100 mg/kg, 2-3 weeks 200 mg/kg, 4-8 weeks 400 mg/kg) three times per week for eight weeks. Animal experiments were conducted in five groups; Normal, Control (TAA-induced liver fibrosis mice), Sily (silymarin 50 mg/kg), RSL (RW 50 mg/kg+silymarin 50 mg/kg), and RSH (RW 100 mg/kg+silymarin 50 mg/kg). Biochemical analyses were measured in serum, including aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), malondialdehyde (MDA), and ammonia levels. Liver inflammatory cytokines and fibrous biomarkers were measured by Western blot analysis, and liver histopathology was evaluated through tissue staining. Results: A significant decrease in the liver function markers AST and ALT and a reduction in ammonia and total bilirubin were observed in the group treated with RSL and RSH. Measurement of reactive oxygen species and MDA revealed a significant decrease in the RSL and RSH administration group compared to the TAA induction group. The expression of extracellular matrix-related proteins, such as transforming growth factor β1, α-smooth muscle actin, and collagen type I alpha 1, was likewise significantly decreased. All drug-administered groups had increased matrix metalloproteinase-9 but a decreasing tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase-1. RSL and RSH exerted a significant upregulation of NADPH oxidase 2, p22^phox, and p47^phox, which are oxidative stress-related factors. Furthermore, pro-inflammatory proteins such as cyclooxygenase 2 and interleukin-1β were markedly suppressed through the inhibition of nuclear factor kappa B activation. Conclusions: The administration of RW and silymarin suppressed the NADPH oxidase factor protein level and showed a tendency to reduce inflammation-related enzymes. These results suggest that the combined administration of RW and silymarin improves acute liver injury induced by TAA.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.38 no.9
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• pp.1153-1160
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• 2009

Monascus-fermented Korean red ginseng (MFRG), fermented by Monascus purpureus KCCM 12002, may be an ideal candidate for the hepatoprotectic, hypolipidemic and antioxidative activities. Effect of MFRG powder on these parameters in rats was investigated. Body weight gain, food intake, and water consumption were not significantly different among the groups. Total and relative weights of liver were significantly higher in MFRG group than that in other groups. The activities of AST and $\gamma$-GTP were highly lowered in MFRG group compared to control group. Contents of serum total lipid and triglyceride were significantly lowered in silymarin group and were significantly increased in MFRG group compared to control group, but tended to be lowered in RG group. Serum content of total cholesterol tended to be lowered in silymarin, RG, and MFRG groups compared to control group. HDL-cholesterol contents was only significantly increased in MFRG group compared to control group. At the same time, atherogenic index (AI) was also significantly lowered in silymarin, RG and MFRG groups compared to control group, and this effect was more pronounced in MFRG group. Content of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) in the liver was significantly lowered in MFRG group and tended to lowered in silymarin and RG groups compared to control group. The hepatic glutathione concentration was significantly higher in silymarin and MFRG groups. Hepatic morphology in all experimental groups revealed clear-cut hepatic lobules with the uniform pattern of the polyhedral hepatocytes radiating towards the periphery from the central vein. These results suggested that MFRG may have anti-atherogenic index (AI) and antioxidative activity in normal dietary feeding rats.