• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.155-166
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• 2017

Objectives : Polygoni Multiflori Ramulus has been widely used as a traditional medicinal herb for the treatment of insomnia, limb pain and itch. The extract of Polygoni Multiflori Ramulus (PMRE) is known to have a modulatory effect of many inflammatory responses. This study was performed to investigate the hepatoprotective effect of PMRE against arachidonic acid (AA) + iron-induced oxidative stress on HepG2 cell and carbon tetrachloride ($CCl_4$)-induced liver injury on mice. Methods : The effects of PMRE on cell viability was assessed by MTT assay. And flow cytometric analysis was performed to estimate the effects on mitochondrial function. To investigate its underlying mechanism, apoptosis-related proteins were analysed by using immunoblot analysis. In addition, ICR mouse were administrated (po) with the PMRE (30, 100 mg/kg) for 3 days and then, injected (ip) with $CCl_4$ (0.5 ml/kg body weight) to induce acute liver damage. The level of pro-caspase-3 was measured. Results : Treatment of PMRE increased relative cell viability, prevented a cleavage of poly (ADP ribose) polymerase and pro-caspase-3, and also reduced mitochondrial membrane permeability against AA + iron-induced oxidative stress. In addition, PMRE treatment decreased liver injury induced by $CCl_4$, as evidenced by increases in pro-caspase-3 level. Conclusions : These results demonstrate that PMRE has an ability to anti-oxidant and hepatoprotective effect against AA + iron-induced oxidative stress and $CCl_4$-induced liver injury.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.12-16
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• 2013

This study was performed to investigate hepatoprotective effect of rutin on acute hepatic damage induced by carbon tetrachloride in rats. Twenty-four male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups; normal control group, $CCl_4$ control group, two rutin treatment groups (rutin 200+$CCl_4$ and rutin 400+$CCl_4$). Dissolving vehicles were applied to the rats in the normal control group. The rutin was administrated to the rats in rutin 200+$CCl_4$ and rutin 400+$CCl_4$ groups at the levels of 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg, 3 consecutive days orally, with 24 hours interval before inoculating $CCl_4$. $CCl_4$ was intraperitoneally administered an hour after the last treatment of rutin to the rats in every group except the normal control group. The body weight of rats in $CCl_4$ control group were significantly lower than other groups (p < 0.05), but the liver weight and relative liver weight were higher than normal control group (p < 0.05). The activities of ALT, AST, ALP, GTP, LDH and the level of total bilirubin in sera of rats in $CCl_4$ control group were higher and the levels of total protein, albumin and globulin were lower than the normal group (p < 0.05). The activities of ALT, AST, ALP, GTP, LDH and the level of total bilirubin in rutin 200+$CCl_4$ and rutin 400+$CCl_4$ groups were lower than $CCl_4$ control group (p < 0.05). Therefore the pre-treatment of rutin before $CCl_4$ inoculation in rats effectively inhibited the elevation of serum ALT, AST and total bilirubin which are the parameters of hepatic damage.

• Journal of Radiation Industry
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.81-85
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• 2013

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of fermented blackberry drinks (BD) on carbon tetrachloride ($CCl_4$)-induced liver injury in rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups with 6 rats per group: control, $CCl_4$, $CCl_4$ plus BD $3ml\;kg^{-1}$, and $CCl_4$ plus BD $6ml\;kg^{-1}$. We found that the levels of serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were significantly increased and the activity of antioxidant enzyme glutathione peroxidase (GPx) in the liver was decreased in rats treated with $CCl_4$ alone when compared with the control group. However, the administration of BD attenuated the levels of serum AST and ALT in $CCl_4$-treated rats. Moreover, the administration of BD significantly increased the activity of GPx in $CCl_4$-treated rat livers. Taken together, these results suggest that BD could protect the liver from $CCl_4$-induced hepatic damage.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.12-18
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• 2002

Silymarin and curcumin have been used for supportive treatment of liver disease of difffrent etiology due to their hepatoprotective activities. The present study was carried out to investigate the hepatoprotective efffcts of silymarin and/or curcuma extract against hepatotoxins induced liver injury. To investigate hepatoprotective effects, the silymarin and/or curcuma extract were pre-treated orally to experimental animals. And thereafter a single dose of hepatotoxin, carbon tetrachloride ($CCl_4$) and acetaminophen were administered through oral or intraperitoneal route, respectively. Chronic liver damage was induced by subcutaneous injection of $CCl_4$ for 3 weeks (2 times/week). Hepatoprotective and therapeutic effects were monitored by estimating serurn ALT and AST levels and by measuring hepatic glutathione (GSH) and malondialdehyde (MDA)levels. Collagen type 1 was detected with irnrnunostaining to assess fibrosis. The results showed that the mix-ture of silymarin and curcuma extract significantly reduced serum biochemistry levels and MDA levels com-pared with those of control group in both acute and chronic animal models. In antifibrotic effect, the relative hepatic collagen content was significantly decreased by silymarin and/or curcuma extract treatment. It was concluded that the complex of silymarin and curcuma extract have a both hepatoprotective and therapeutic effect synergically in rat liver injury induced by heptotoxins.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.119-132
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• 2008

Objectives : To compare the effects of low-frequency electro-acupuncture (EA) stimulation at left and right GB34s on hepatotoxicity in $CCl_4$-intoxicated rats. Methods : Rats were injected with $CCl_4$ and treated with 2 Hz electro-acupuncture (EA) at left and right GB34s for 15 minutes 3 times per week, for 10 weeks. Holder group, injected with $CCl_4$ and strained in a cylinder for same period as the EA group, was established to compare the hepatotoxicity against the two electroacupuncture groups. To estimate the effects of EA on hepatotoxicity in rats, body weight, liver weight and liver index were measured. Biochemical assays for serum ALT, AST, ALP and total cholesterol ; hematological analysis for RBC, WBC, PLT, hemoglobin, lymphocytes, neutrophils and monocytes ; and histology analysis of liver tissue were also performed. Results : Lymphocyte level in blood was significantly decreased by $CCl_4$-intoxication, and increased by low-frequency electroacupuncture applied on both left and right GB34s. Low-frequency EA applied on right and left GB34s significantly reduced serum ALT and AST, both of which had been increased by $CCl_4$-intoxication. Conclusion : Low-frequency electroacupunctures at both left and right GB34s have hepatoprotective effects on $CCl_4$-induced liver damage in rats. However, no significant differences were found between the effects of EAs at left and right GB34s.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.191-196
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• 2001

To evaluate an effect of cyclohexanone (CHO) treatment on the serum levels of glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity in acute liver damaged animals, acute liver damage was induced in rats with pretreatment of 50% $CCl_4$ in olive oil (0.1 ml/100 g body wt) intraperitoneally 14 times every other day. To liver damaged rats, CHO (1.56 g/kg body wt, i. p.) was injected once and then rats were sacrificed at 4 hours after injection of CHO. Increasing rate of GST activity to the control in serum was higher in CHO-treated rats pretreated with CCL$_4$ than the $CCl_4$-pretreated those. All the more, the injection of CHO to the liver damaged rats led to more enhanced liver damage on the basis of liver functional findings, i. e., serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity, liver weight per body weight, and malondialdehyde content. The changing pattern of serum ALT activity was similar with that of GST activity, whereas that of liver in both enzymes differed more or less from each other; the liver GST activity in CHO-treated rats pretreated with $CCl_4$ being more increased tendency than that of $CCl_4$-pretreated rats. Concomitantly the injection of CHO showed a increasing tendency of liver GST activity compared with the control. Furthermore, CHO injection to the liver damaged rats showed somewhat higher Vmax in the kinetics of liver GST enzymes. In conclusion, injection of CHO to the liver damaged animals led to more increased activity of serum GST, and it may be chiefly caused by the alteration of membrane permeability.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.113-119
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• 2011

This study was designed to determine the effects of larval extracts from Protaetia brevitarsis seulensis shade dried larva from Korea and China on liver tissues of hepatic injury groups. The experimental groups are divided into five groups; Normal, carbon tetrachloride single injection ($CCl_4$), Pb-CHI ($CCl_4$ + P. brevitarsis shade dried larva from China), Pb-KOR ($CCl_4$ + P. brevitarsis shade dried larva from Korea) and SIL ($CCl_4$ + 0.35% silymarin) groups. Sprague Dawley rats were oral injected with $CCl_4$ at a dose l mg/kg (20% in corn oil) for induction of liver damage for 4 weeks. Each experimental group was fed with a dose 50 mg/kg of larval extracts based on medicinal preparations from 3 weeks to 4 weeks after $CCl_4$ treatment. At the end of 4 weeks, we evaluated the serum levels of glutamate-oxaloacetate transaminase (GOT), glutamate-pyruvate transferase (GPT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) in serum and the cytokine levels of tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$) (TNF-${\alpha}$) and transforming growth factor-${\beta}$ (TGF-${\beta}$) in the cells isolated from spleen and liver. The histological analysis was also conducted. The $CCl_4$ injection reduced body weight, induced congestion of middle lobe and hepatocytic degeneration, resulting in disintegration of hepatic cords, and increased biochemical markers of blood related to hepatic injury. On the other hand, the Pb-CHI and Pb-KOR group decreased the levels of biochemical markers in blood and cytokine levels in spleen and liver. Especially, the Pb-KOR group facilitated the recovery of biochemical values of blood related to hepatic injury, hepatic lesions and fibrosis. Taken together, larval extract from P. brevitarsis might prevent acute hepatotoxicity and enhance the recovery of liver fibrosis and cirrhosis induced by $CCl_4$, and the ingredients could be a promising candidate for the prevention and treatment of hepatic disorders.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.163-174
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• 2016

Objectives : Rheum undulatum Linne and Glycyrriza uralensis Fischer are widely used herbal medicine. In this study, anti-oxidant and liver protective effects of R. undunlatum extract (RUE) and G. uralensis extract (GUE) were investigated in HepG2 cells, respectively. Oxidative stress and liver fibrosis were induced by arachidonic acid (AA) and iron, and CCl₄.Methods : MTT assay was assessed for cell viability, and immunoblotting analysis was performed to detect expression of apoptosis related proteins. In addition, reactive oxygen species (ROS) and mitochondrial dysfunction were measured. In vivo, BALB/c mouse were orally administrated with the aqueous extract of 10 mg/kg RUE and 100 mg/kg GUE for 3 days and then, injected with CCl₄ 0.5 ml/kg body weight to induce acute liver damage. Serum ALT level was measured, and histological change was observed in Harris's hematoxylin and eosin stainResults : RUE and GUE pre-treatment increased relative cell viability in concentration dependent manner and altered the expression levels of apoptosis-related proteins such as procaspase 3, PARP and Bcl-xL. RUE and GUE also inhibited the mitochondrial dysfunction and excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) production induced by AA and iron. In addition, RUE and GUE activated liver kinase B1 (LKB1), by increasing phosphorylation. Moreover, RUE and GUE treatment decreased liver injuries induced by CCl₄, as evidenced by decreases in histological liver damage as well as serum alanine amino transferase (ALT) level.Conclusions : These data suggest that RUE and GUE has anti-oxidant and liver protective effects against AA and iron-induced oxidative stress and CCl₄-induced liver injury.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.206-213
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• 2005

This experiment was conducted to find out the therapeutic effect of Artemisia capillaris extracts on hepatic damage in rats induced by carbon tetrachloride ($CCl_{4}$). In this experiment, 96 Sprague-Dawley rats were used as experimental groups, which were divided into 4 groups; control group(A), $CCl_{4}$-treated group(B), $CCl_{4}$+Artemisia extract-treated group(C) and $CCl_{4}$+silymarin-treated group(D). The B, C, D group were administrated single dose of $CCl_{4}$(2.5 ml/kg) to induce acute hepatic injury. C group was administrated with Artemisia capillaris extract(200 mg/kg/day) and D group treated with silymarin(50 mg/kg/day) for 7 days. Hematological, ultrasonographical, histological examinations and examination of antioxidant activity were also performed in all groups. AST and ALT activities of C group were significantly decreased compared with B group. The activities of AST and ALT in C and D groups returned to the normal range more rapidly than those of B group. In ultrasonographic examination, the echogenicity of liver in C group was significantly decreased compared with B group. Also C and D group had tended to recover faster than B group on liver histogram. Histologically, the percentage of degenerative regions and degenerative cell numbers in peri-central vein hepatic parenchyma of C and D group were significantly decreased compared with B group. In examination of lipid peroxidation, malondialdehyde of hepatic tissue in C group was decreased as compared with B group. In examination of antioxidant enzyme activity in liver, glutathione peroxidase and catalase activities were significantly increased compared with B group. As results of this study, it is thought that A. capillaris extract has therapeutic effects on hepatic injury induced by carbon tetrachloride, and has the similar therapeutic effects as silymarin in rats.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.1415-1423
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• 2007

Carbon tetrachloride ($CCl_4$)-induced liver injury depends on a toxic agent that has to be metabolized by the liver NAPDH-cytochrome P450 enzyme system to a highly reactive intermediate. Alternations in the activity of cytochrome P450 enzymes affect the susceptibility to hepatic injury from $CCl_4$. In this study, we evaluated the potential protective activity of the traditional Korean medicinal herb, Corni fructus (CF), against an experimental model of hepatotoxicity induced by $CCl_4$. The CF exhibited a hepatoprotective activity against $CCl_4-induced$ liver damage in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats, as measured by GOT, GPT, ALP and histological observation. The CF also showed significant decrease of malodialdehyde (MDA) and increase of glutathion (GSH), catalase activity in rat liver homogenate. In addition, the expression of CYP2E1, as measured by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot analysis, was significantly decreased in the liver of CF treated SD rats. But $CCl_4$ and CF has no significant effect on 1A1 and 3A1 isoform of cytochrome P450. Based on these findings, it is suggested that hepatoprotective effects of CF possibly related to antioxidative effects and regulation of CYP2E1 expression.