• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.137-144
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• 1985

In order to evaluate the effect of water soluble extract of lichens (Physcia, Parmelia and Clandonia species) on liver damage, activities transaminase(GPT) and 5'-nucleotidase in serum and liver were measured in rats fed lichens extract. DNA and RNA were measured in liver and spleen, as well as various organ weights and blood components. Control group was fed water to compare with the lichen group. Three sets of experiments were conducted: the first set was done with normal rats, the second one with rats with liver damage induced by $CCl_4$ injection was divided into three subgroups. i.e. no treatment group, pre-treatment group and post-treatment group, and the third one was with rats with acute and chronic liver damage. In normal rats, lichens extract feeding reduced serum GOT and GPT activities. In liver damaged rats, both pre-and post-treatment had suppressing effect against increase of serum enzymes. In rats with acute and chronic liver damage, lichens fed group had lower activities of serum GOT, GPT and 5'-nucleotidase but higher activities of liver enzymes than control group. This effect was more pronounced in rats with acute liver damage. Liver weight increased considerably with lichens intake. Hemoglobin and hematocrit levels were also higher in lichens fed group. Nucleic acid contents in spleen but not in liver were increased in lichens fed group. The latter increase was more significant with chronic liver damage. It is suggested from the present study that water soluble lichens extract play protective and therapeutic roles in organs against infection and atrophic disease.