• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.35-42
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• 2004

Liver and serum $\beta$-D-mannosidase activities were determined in ethanol intoxicated rats with extrahepatic cholestasis induced by common bile duct ligation (CBD) to manifest the biochemical background of alcohol drinking hazard under the hepatobiliary disease. Liver $\beta$-D-mannosidase activity and its Vmax value in CBD ligated rats with chronic ethanol intoxication were found to be significantly decreased than that in CBD ligation alone. However, the difference of Km value on above hepatic enzyme was not found between the experimental groups. On the other hand, serum $\beta$-D-mannosidase activity in CBD ligated rats with chronic ethanol intoxication was increased more than that in CBD ligation alone. These results indicate that the biosynthesis of the hepatic $\beta$-D-mannosidase decreases and the serum $\beta$-D-mannosidase activity increases in cholestasis combined with chronic ehtanol intoxication, reflecting damage of aggravated hapatocytic membrane. Accordingly, the resulting data supported the fact that alcoholic drinks were enzymologically harmful to the hepatobiliary disease.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.35 no.10
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• pp.1336-1342
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• 2006

This study was performed to investigate the effect of ethanol extract of Chaenomeles sinensis Koehne (CS) on alcohol-induced liver damage in rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing $135{\pm}10g$ were divided into 6 groups for 4 weeks; normal group (ND), alcohol (35%, 10 mL/kg/day) treated group (ET), CS ethanol extract 200 mg/kg/day treated group (ND-CSL), CS ethanol extract 400 mg/kg/day treated group (ND-CSH), CS ethanol extract 200 mg/kg/day and alcohol treated group (ET-CSL), and CS ethanol extract 400 mg/kg/day and alcohol treated group (ET-CSH). The body weight gain and food efficiency ratio were no differences between ND and ET. There were increases in the activities of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), asparate aminotransferase (AST), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) in ET. On the other hand, the administration of CS decreased ALT, AST and ALP activities in serum. It was also observed that the hepatic activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and xanthine oxidase (XO) increased by alcohol treatment were also markedly decreased in the CS administered groups as compared with ET. The activities of hepatic SOD, catalase, GSH-Px and XO were riot significantly different among the normal diet groups. Contents of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) were increased by the administration of alcohol, on the other hand, the administration of CS reduced TBARS value in the liver. In addition, the content of glutathione (GSH) in the liver was decreased by alcohol administration, however, GSH increased after administering CS. In conclusion, the administration of alcohol develops the hyperoxidation of liver lipids through tile increase in enzymes activity related to the lipid peroxiation, however, it was decreased after administring CS. Thus, CS may have a possible protective effect on ethanol-induced hepatotoxicity in rat liver.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2021

Objective : Citri Unshius Pericarpium (Citrus unshiu peel) has been used in Korean medicine to treat indigestion, vomiting, coughing and phlegm. This study investigated the hepatoprotective effect of ethanol extract of Citrus unshiu peel (CEE) in cadmium (CdCl2)-treated mouse model. Methods : CEE was dissolved in water and administered orally to mice once a day for 7 consecutive days. The mice were then exposed to a single intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of cadmium (4 mg/kg body weight) to induce acute hepatotoxicity. At the end of the experiment, blood and liver tissue samples were collected, analyzed for alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and histopathological evaluation. Liver damage was assessed as the percentage of degenerative areas of the hepatic parenchyma, the number of degenerative hepatocytes, and the number of infiltrated inflammatory cells. Results : In cadmium-treated rats, pretreatment with CEE significantly reduced the serum ALT and AST levels associated with liver damage. Histopathologically, CEE prevented degenerative changes on the hepatic tissues including confluent necrosis, congestions and infiltration of inflammatory cells. CEE also reduced the elevation of oxidative stress markers (nitrotyrosine and 4-hydroxynonenal) and apoptosis markers (cleaved caspase-3 and cleaved PARP) positive cells. PARP protein expression in liver tissue was also restored by CEE. Conclusion : This study showed that CEE exerted antioxidant and anti-apoptotic effects against cadmium-induced liver injury. Thus, it can be concluded that CEE can be used to prevent liver damage caused by cadmium.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.1081-1086
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• 2007

This study was performed to investigate the medicinal effects of the herbal combination extracts-2 (HCE-2), consisting of Artemisia capillaris Thunb., Lonicera japonica Thunb., Prunella vulgaris var. lilacina, and Hovenia dulcis Thunb. on the alcohol-induced liver injury in rats. The rats were randomly divided into four groups: normal group (n =6), non-treated control group (n =6), saline-treated group (n =6) and the herbal combination extract (HCE-2)-treated group (n =6). The rats in the alcohol-loaded groups were orally administered with ethanol at a daily dose of 4 g/kg-body weight for 5 weeks. Thirty minutes before the ethanol injection, saline or herbal combination extracts was administered by using a gastrogavage. Blood and liver tissue samples were taken out from the hearts and livers of the rats, respectively, on 15th and 38th days. The activities of serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). We also investigated the protective effect of the herbal combination extracts by Hematoxylin-Eosin staining on histological sections of rat liver. In this study, the oral administration of the herbal combination extracts significantly reduced the serum levels of AST and ALT, which had been raised by alcohol-induced liver injury. Histological analysis and apparent observation of liver also showed the preventive effect of the herbal combination extracts in a chronic alcohol-induced rat model. Theses results revealed that the herbal combination extracts effectively prevented hepatic damage consequent to the chronic exposure to repetitive administration of ethanol and could be used as a primary resource of a health beverage or herbal medicine, alleviating the alcohol-induced hepatic injury and hangover symptoms.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.1269-1284
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• 2021

Objectives: Phragmitis Rhizoma is the fresh or dried rhizome of Phragmites communis Trin., which has been prescribed in traditional Korean medicine to relieve fever and vomiting and to nourish the body fluids. Recently, the protective effect of Phragmitis Rhizoma extract or its components on myelotoxicity and inflammatory responses have been reported, but no study has yet been conducted on oxidative stress. Methods: The present study investigated whether an ethanol extract of Phragmitis Rhizoma (PR) could protect against cellular damage induced by oxidative stress in Chang liver cells. Results: Pretreatment with PR significantly suppressed the hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂)-induced reduction of Chang cell viability and generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), thereby deferring apoptosis. PR also markedly inhibited H₂O₂-induced comet tail formation and phospho-γH2AX expression, suggesting that PR protected against oxidative stress-mediated DNA damage. PR also effectively prevented the inhibition of ATP synthesis in H₂O₂-treated Chang cells by inhibiting the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, indicating that PR maintains energy metabolism through preservation of mitochondrial function while eliminating ROS generated by H₂O₂. Immunoblotting results indicated that PR attenuated the H₂O₂-induced downregulation of Bcl-2 and upregulation of Bax expression. Conclusions: PR protects against oxidative injury in Chang liver cells by regulating energy homeostasis via ROS generation blockade, which is at least partly mediated through inactivation of the mitochondria-mediated apoptosis pathway.

• 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-${\kappa}B$.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.56 no.4
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• pp.260-267
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• 2012

This study examined the effects of baicalin, a bioactive flavonoid isolated from Scutellaria baicalensis, on hepatic injury caused by ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) in alcoholic fatty liver. Rats were fed an ethanol liquid diet or a control isocaloric diet for 5 weeks, and then subjected to 60 min of hepatic ischemia and 5 h of reperfusion. Baicalin (200 mg/kg) was administered intraperitoneally 24 and 1 h before ischemia. After reperfusion, baicalin attenuated the increase in serum alanine aminotransferase activity. The levels of cytosolic cytochrome c protein expression, caspase-3 activity, the number of apoptotic cells increased after reperfusion, which were higher in ethanol-fed animals, were attenuated by baicalin. Following I/R, the hepatic lipid peroxidation was elevated, whereas hepatic glutathione content was decreased. These changes attenuated by baicalin. In ethanol-fed animals, baicalin augmented the increases in heme oxygenase-1 protein and mRNA expressions, and nuclear Nrf2 expression. In conclusion, our findings suggest that baicalin ameliorates I/R-induced hepatocellular damage by suppressing apoptosis and oxidative stress in alcoholic fatty liver.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
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• 1998.11a
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• pp.124-124
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• 1998

Portal hypertensive gastropathy (PHG) is part of a complex syndrome which occurs as a complication of chronic liver disease and portal hypertension. The gastric mucosa in these patients shows typical congestion of ‘mosaic-like’ pattern and vulnerable to various noxious agents such as NSAIDs and ethanol. We previously reported that DA-9601, a quality-controlled extract from Artemisia asiatica, exhibits cytoprotection against various gastritis models. In the present study we investigated the effect of DA-9601 on ethanol-induced gastric damage in PHG rats. Experimental PHG was produced by CBD ligation in SD rats. DA-9601 was orally administered at a dose of 30 mg/kg or 100 mg/kg daily for 2 weeks.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.99-105
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• 2004

Liver and serum rhodanese activities were determined in acute ethanol intoxicated rats with extrahepatic cholestasis induced by common bile duct ligation (CBD) to manifest the biochemical background of alcohol drinking hazard under the hepatobiliary disease. Liver cytosolic and microsomal rhodanese activities and these Vmax values in CBD ligated rats with acute ethanol intoxication were found to be decreased much more than that in CBD ligation alone. However, the difference of Km value on above hepatic enzyme was not found between the experimental groups. On the other hand, serum rhodanese activity in CBD ligated rats with acute ethanol intoxication was greater increased more than that in CBD ligation alone. These results indicate that the biosynthesis of the hepatic rhodanese decreases and the serum rhodanese activity increases in cholestasis combined with acute ethanol intoxication, reflecting damage of aggravated hapatocytic membrane. Accordingly, the resulting data supported the fact that alcoholic drinks were enzymologically harmful to the hepatobiliary disease.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.183-190
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• 2023

Red yeast rice, also known as Hong Qu and red Koji, has been used for a long time in Asian functional food and traditional medicine. It consists of multiple bioactive substances, which can potentially be used as nutraceuticals. Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) can range from simple steatosis or inflammation to fibrosis and cirrhosis, possibly through leaky gut and systemic endotoxemia. This study examined the liver and gut effects of red yeast rice (RYR) (Monascus purpureus) ethanol extract against binge ethanol-induced liver injury in mice. RYR extract was orally administered to C57BL/6N mice at a concentration of 200 mg/kg body weight per day for 10 days. Then, mice were administered binge alcohol (5 g/kg/dose) three times at 12 hr intervals. Binge alcohol exposure significantly elevated the endotoxin, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alanine transaminase (ALT) activity of plasma, as well as hepatic triglyceride levels; however, RYR treatments reduced these levels. In addition, RYR pretreatment significantly reduced the alcohol-induced oxidative maker protein and apoptosis maker in binge alcohol-induced gut and liver injuries. These results suggest that RYR may prevent alcohol-induced acute leaky gut and liver damage.