• 대한한방내과학회지
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• 제30권1호
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• pp.249-255
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• 2009

Currently, drug-induced liver injury (DILl) has been reported to be common cause of acute hepatitis, and oriental medicine and folk remedies are no exception. However, because many studies about DILl have been reported by western medical society. they has taken the initiative of DILl not only for western drugs but also herbs. So, academia of oriental medicine should make an effort to progress herb-related DILl studies. We describe a patient of acute liver injury which had been caused by comfrey, albizzia julibrissin, ulmus davidiana var. japonica, red ginseng. We hope that this report helps for studying the diagnosis and management of herb-derived DILl. and for establishing a standard of oriental therapy to DILL.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• 제2권3호
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• pp.236-240
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• 1997

A crude extract of Smphytum officinale L. (comfrey) was for its ability to inhibit he growth of hepatocellular carcinoma cells and expression of the insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-II) gene. The DNA synthesis of hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines, Hep G2, Hep 3B, and PLC/PRF/5 was inhibited by a crude extract of Smphytum officinale in both a time- and a dose-dependent manners. This plant extract also inhibited expression of the IGF-II gene. Since IGF-II exerts a mitogenic effect on Hep G2 cells, these results suggest that the growth inhibition by Symphytum officinale extract is, in part, mediated through the inhibition of IGF-II gene expression.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제27권4호
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• pp.357-364
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• 2023

Sjögren syndrome (SS) is a systemic inflammatory autoimmune disease that involves exocrine glands. Shikonin is extracted from comfrey, which is conventionally used as an anti-tumor, antibacterial, and antiviral drug in China. However, the application of Shikonin in SS remains unreported. This study aimed to verify the potential functions of Shikonin in SS progression. Firstly, non-obese diabetic mice were used as the SS mouse model, with C57BL/6 mice serving as the healthy control. It was demonstrated that the salivary gland damage and inflammation were aggravated in the SS mouse model. Shikonin improved salivary gland function decline and injury in the SS mouse model. Moreover, Shikonin reduced inflammatory cytokines and immune infiltration in the SS mouse model. Further experiments discovered that Shikonin attenuated the MAPK signaling pathway in the SS mouse model. Lastly, inhibition of the MAPK signaling pathway combined with Shikonin treatment further alleviated the symptoms of SS. In conclusion, Shikonin ameliorated salivary gland damage and inflammation in a mouse model of SS by modulating the MAPK signaling pathway. Our findings indicate that Shikonin may be a useful drug for SS treatment.