• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.329-336
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• 2013

The purpose of this study is to evaluate cytoprotective effect of Korean medicinal plants on alcohol-induced cytotoxicity in liver cells. Out of the 120 plant extracts tested in this study, 53 plant extracts enhanced alcohol-induced cytotoxicity in liver cells by 50~80%, while other 11 plant extracts including Crataegus pinnatifida reduced cytotoxicity by 1~68%. The results of DPPH free radical test and LDL lipid peroxidation test on the plant extracts that sharply reduced cytotoxicity in liver cells shows that Crataegus pinnatifida and Cinnamomum cassia had antioxidative effect. This study reports that the plant extracts that enhance or reduce ethanol-induced cytotoxicity in liver cells can be research objects as cytotoxic plants or cytotoxicity-protective plants.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.229-232
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• 1995

In order to study if Glycyrrhizae Radix (GR) has protective effects on hepatotoxicity of acetaminophen in mouse, one of the species which are sensitive to acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity, effects of GR on liver weight to body weight ratio, serum alanine and aspartate transaminase (ALT and AST) activities, hepatic UDP-GT2 activity, and histopathologic changes were determined in acetaminophen-treated mice. Liver weight to body weight ratio and UDP-GT2 activity in mouse liver were not altered by GR. However, GR pretreatment lowered serum ALT and AST activities by 77% and 90% respectively, and diminished the degree of centrilobular necrosis caused by acetaminophen in liver as determined by histopathologic observation. These results suggest a possible protective effect of GR against the acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity in mice.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.69-77
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• 1993

Saikosaponins, originally isolated from Bupleuri Radix, were reported to exhibit diverse biological activities especially concerning with liver function. To elucidate the mode of protective action of saikosaponins on liver injury due to the acetaminophen administration, effects on drug metabolizing enzymes system and some transferase activities were checked. As the result, activities of transferase were shown to be strengthened by saikosaponin treatments significantly.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.265-271
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• 2007

This study investigated the protective effects of ethylene glycol-bis(${\beta}$-aminoethyl ether)-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid (EGTA), an extracellular calcium chelator, and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), which chelates calcium and most metal ions, against carbon tetrachloride ($CCl_4$)-induced acute hepatotoxicity in mice. Mice were treated with EGTA or EDTA at a dose of 20 (low) or 100 mg/kg (high) subcutaneously 1h before $CCl_4$ administration. The mice were fasted and sacrificed 18h after $CCl_4$ treatment. Blood samples were collected from the carotid artery by decapitation under light ether anesthesia. Serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), triglyceride (TG), and cholesterol levels were measured. Malondialdehyde (MDA) production was determined as an index of lipid peroxidation in the liver. The liver, kidneys, and spleen were weighed. We also evaluated the histopathological changes in the liver in each group. The relative weights of the liver were significantly higher in the $CCl_4$-treatment group than in the normal group, except in the high-EDTA treatment group. EGTA and EDTA treatment caused a significant decrease in serum ALP, ALT, and AST levels. Of all of the doses of EGTA and EDTA tested, the high-EDTA dose resulted in the most remarkable inhibitory action. The protective effect in the high-EDTA-treatment group was confirmed histopathologically. The low-EGTA-treatment group showed a significant decrease in serum TG and cholesterol levels. Liver MDA levels were significantly decreased in the EGTA (20 mg/kg) and EDTA (20, 100 mg/kg) groups. These results suggest that EDTA, which chelates both calcium and metal ions, confers better protection in $CCl_4$-induced acute liver damage than does EGTA, a calcium chelator.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.151-160
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• 2005

Objectives : This study was undertaken to examine whether Juglandis Semen herbal acupuncture (JGA) exerts protective effect against oxidant-induced cell injury in rabbit liver. Methods : The cell damage was estimated by measuring lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release, and lipid peroxidation was estimated by measuring malondialdehyde (MDA) in rabbit liver slices. Results : t-Butylhydroperoxide (tBHP) caused an increase in LDH release and lipid peroxidation in a dose-dependent manner over concentrations of 0.5-2 mM, which were prevented by addition of 0.05% JGA. The protective effect of JGA was dose-dependent in concentration range of 0.005 to 0.1%. The concentrations of 0.005 and 0.1% JGA completely prevented the LDH release and lipid peroxidation by 1 mM tBHP. When liver tissues were exposed to 1 mM tBHP, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity in the medium was significantly increased, which was prevented by 0.05% JGA. tBHP (2 mM) decreased GSH content and the effect was prevented by 0.05% JGA. Conclusion : These results suggest that JGA exerts protective effect against oxidant-induced cell injury by antioxidant action resulting from enhancement of GSH content in the liver.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.127-141
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• 2002

Objectives: Haeganjeon(HGJ) has been used for the treatment of liver disease in traditional medicine. The present study was carried out to evaluate the antioxidant and protective effects of HGJ extract on oxidative damage of hepatocytes by tert-butyl hydroperoxide(t-BHP). Methods: In the linoleic acid water-alcohol system, the levels of lipid peroxide(LPO) were determined by TBA method. The scavenging effect of HGJ on ${\alpha},{\alpha}-diphenyl-{\beta}-picrylhydrazyl$(DPPH) radical was determined according to the method of Hatano. In the Fenton system(ferrous ion reaction with hydrogen peroxide), the levels of hydroxyl radical induced LPO in rat liver homogenate were determined according to the method of TBA. Inhibitory effect of HGJ on superoxide generation was measured by xanthine-xanthine oxidase system. In order to evaluate antioxidative activity of HGJ in the liver cell, cultured normal rat liver cells(Ac2F) were prepared and incubated with or without HGJ. After 18hr, cells placed in DMEM medium without serum, and then incubated with 1mM tert-butyl hydroperoxide(t-BHP) for 2hrs. Viable cells were detected by MTT assay. Conclusions: In the linoleic acid autoxidation system, HGJ extract significantly inhibited the time course of the lipid peroxidation. These effects were similar to those of BHA HGJ extracts showed about 70% scavenging effect on DPPH radical. And HGJ extract inhibited the lipid peroxide formation in rat liver homogenate induced by hydroxyl radical derived from Fenton system. In addition, HGJ extract protected the cell death induced by t-BHP and significantly increased cell viability in the normal rat liver cell. These result indicated that HGJ extract might playa protective role against oxidative hepatic cell injury by means of free radical scavenger.

• 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-${\kappa}B$.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.96-100
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• 1989

Traditional herbal drugs of Korea, namely, Atractylodes Rhizome(蒼朮) and Atractylodes Rhizome White(白朮) which are derived from and old-grown rhizome and a newly-grown rhizome of Atractylodes japonica Koidz.(Compositae), respectively, were investigated their potential liver-protective activities against hepatotoxicity induced by $CCl_4$ intoxication in mice. Each herbal drug was extracted separately with chloroform, methanol and butanol. No extract of Atractylodes Rhizome showed a significant reduction of the duration of hypnosis produced by hexobarital after $CCl_4$ intoxication in mice. In addition, the the treatments of Atractylodes Rhizome extracts produced no decrease of aspartate aminotransferase(EC 2.6.1.1) activity in serum. However, the methanol extract of Atractylodes Rhizome White exhibited a marked protection from hepatotoxicity induced by $CCl_4$ intoxication in mice. It produced significant reductions of the duration of hypnosis and serum enzyme activity, but no other extract showed liver-protective activity against $CCl_4-induced$ hepatotoxicity.

• Journal of Haehwa Medicine
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.135-142
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• 2000

For the evaluation of protective effect on hepatic damage by Korean red ginseng mixed formula, we used GR(Korean red ginseng), GRF-A(Korean red ginseng-mixed formula) as a materials. The study was performed on protective effect against hepatic damage induced by $CCl_4$. In vitro assay with 1.1 mM galactosamine, protection(%) was 44%(GR), 58%(GRF-A) at 50ug/ml, while maxium protection(%) was 5%(GR) and 24% (GRF-A) against acute hepatotoxicity by $CCl_4$. GRF-A significantly protected ethanol induced-liver damage by lowering ALT and ALP and fatty degenertion in liver tissue.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.127-132
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• 1995

The protective effect of jujube methanol extract on benzo(a)pyrene(B(a)P)-induced liver injury was studied in rats in vitro and in vivo. Jujube methanol extract significantly recovered the enzyme activities(GOT, GPT, LDH and ALP) and lipid contents(total cholesterol, triglyceride and HDL-cholesterol) changed by B(a)P to normal levels in vivo. in viro experiment jujube methanol extract didn't stimulate hepatocyte proliferation but significantly recovered the enzyme activities(GOT, GPT and LDH) in comparison to group Ⅱ administered B(a)P only. It was suggested that jujube methanol extract have a protective effect on liver injury by B(a)P.