• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.89-96
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• 2000

A human hepatoma cell line, Hep G2 cells are a reliable for the study of alcohol-induced hepatotoxicity. In this study, the author investigated the effect of an aqueous extract of Asparagus $cochinchinensis_{MERRIL}$ (Liliaceae) roots (ACAE) on ethanol (EtOH)-induced cytotoxicity in Hep G2 cells. ACAE dose-dependently inhibited the EtOH-induced tumor necrosis $factor-{\alpha}\;(TNF-{\alpha})$ secretion. ACAE also inhibited the EtOH and $TNF-{\alpha}-induced$ cytotoxicity. Furthermore, the author found that ACAE inhibited the $TNF-{\alpha}-induced$ apoptosis of Hep G2 cells. These results suggest that ACAE may prevent the EtOH-induced cytotoxicity through inhibition of the apoptosis of Hep G2 cells.