Synergetic Hepatoprotective Effects of Korean Red Ginseng and Pueraria Radix on the Liver Damaged-Induced by Carbon Tetrachloride (CCl₄) in Mice

This study was designed to investigate the synergetic hepatoprotective effects from a mixture of Korean Red Ginseng and Pueraria Radix on carbon tetrachloride ($CCl_4$)-induced hepatotoxicity in mice. Liver toxicity was induced by intraperitoneal administration of $CCl_4$ (0.6 mg/kg) in 12 groups of ICR mice. The negative control group was given $CCl_4$ without test samples and the normal group was given no treatment. Among treatment groups, the RGAP treatment (Korean Red ginseng acetic acid extract : Pueraria radix water extract, w/w, 38.4:57.6) decreased $CCl_4$-elevated ALT (101.60 IU/L), AST (833.89 IU/L), and LDH (365.02 IU/L) levels in the serum, and increased the SOD (11.03 unit/mg protein) and CAT (0.37 unit/mg protein) levels and the LPO levels ($59.09{\mu}M/g$ tissue) more than that in the mice group with $CCl_4$-induced control group hepatotoxicity. These results suggest that administration of a mixture of Korean Red ginseng and Pueraria radix decreases $CCl_4$-induced liver damage and enhances antioxidant activity in mice and imply that administration of the mixture in a certain ratio is more effective than single administration of either Korean Red ginseng or Pueraria radix alone.