• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.338-344
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• 1994

This study was carried out to investigate the antifibrotic effects of polysaccharides extracted from Garnoderma lucidum. The biliary cirrhosis was induced by bile duct ligation/scission (BDL/S) in rats. BDL/S rats were dosed 5 mg/rat/day orally for 4 weeks after the operation. Antifibrotic effects were evaluated by serum biochemical values, serum procollagen type III peptide (PIIINP) levels, liver hydroxyproline contents, and light microscopical histology. The results obtained were as follows; 1) PIIINP levels in sera of treated BDL/S group were lowered to 50% of those of untreated BDL/S group. 2) Hydroxyproline contents in the liver of treated BDL/S group were also reduced to 83% of those of untreated BDL/S rats. 3) The hepatic damage such as hepatocellular necrosis, inflammation, bile duct proliferation and fibrosis was less severe in the livers of treated rats. These results suggest polysaccharides extracted from Garnoderma lucidum to be a promising agent for the inhibition of hepatic cirrhosis(fibrosis).

• Toxicological Research
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.113-117
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• 2008

Chronic exposure to ethanol induces cumulative damage to the liver starting from fatty infiltration to cirrhosis depending on the dose and duration of exposure. The whole process leading to the development of alcoholic liver disease is very complex and the mechanisms involved are not fully understood. Among many experimental animal models, Lieber-DeCarli liquid diet provides moderate to severe pathophysiological outcome depending on the compositional changes. In the present study, we investigated the temporal changes in the early phase hepatic disease in rats fed with standard Lieber-DeCarli diet. Male Wistar rats were fed with Lieber-Decarli ethanol diet for 6 weeks and the liver samples were obtained after 2, 4 and 6 weeks. Mild fatty infiltration was observed in 2 weeks of feeding and it became evident in 4 and 6 week samples. The level of hepatic triglyceride showed a good agreement with the data obtained in the pathological analysis. Feeding mice with ethanol diet resulted in the maturation and translocation of SREBP-1 to nucleus in the liver. Western blot analysis of the pooled liver sample of control and ethanol fed animals showed a clear-cut time-dependent increase in the expression of nSREBP-1. These data provide important information for selecting proper time point in experimental intervention study in the field of drug development for alcoholic liver disease.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.10 no.6
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• pp.181-187
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• 2010

Excessive alcohol consumption is one of the critical causative factors leading to alcoholic liver disease (ALD). ALD is characterized by a wide spectrum of liver damage, ranging from simple uncomplicated liver steatosis (fatty liver) to steatohepatitis and liver fibrosis/cirrhosis. It has been believed that the obvious underlying cause for ALD is due to hepatocyte death induced by alcohol itself. However, recent sparkling studies have shown that diverse immune responses contribute to ALD because liver is enriched with numerous immune cells. Especially, a line of evidence has suggested that innate immune cells such as Kupffer cells and natural killer (NK)/NKT cells are significantly involved in the pathogenesis of ALD via production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and other mediators. Indeed, more interestingly, hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), known as a major cell inducing liver steatosis and fibrosis, can be killed by liver NK cells, which could be suppressed by chronic alcohol consumption. In this review, with the view of liver as predominant innate immune organ, we describe the pathogenesis of ALD in which what roles of innate immune cells are and how they are interacting with HSCs.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.474-478
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• 2007

This study evaluated effects of Yanggyuksanhwa-tang(YST) on diabetic rats. Diabetic condition in rats was induced by streptozotocin injection. Then control effect of YST was observed with changes of serum glucose, insulin, and triglyceride levels and hepatic glucokinse activity. YST treatment was resulted significant decrease of high serum glucose level of diabetic rats induced by streptozotocin at 5th day of YST treatment. YST treatment was resulted increase of low serum insulin level of diabetic rats induced by streptozotocin, but it was not significant statistically. YST treatment was resulted significant decrease of high serum triglyceride level of diabetic rats induced by streptozotocin at 3rd and 5th of YST treatment. YST treatment was resulted significant increase of low hepatic glucokinase activity of diabetic rats induced by streptozotocin at 5th day of YST treatment. These results suggest that YST has effects on serum glucose control against cerebral inchemic damage under diabetic condition.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.149-156
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• 1998

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of vitamin E supplementation on the activities of antioxidative enzymes in liver of KK mice of various ages and various duration of diabetes. Diabetes was induced by feeding high fat diet containing 20% corn oil(wt/wt). Weaned KK mice were fed high fat diet containing 51 IU or 2080 IU vitamin E per kg diet. Animals were sacrificed at 4, 6, and 9 months of age. In nondiabetic group, we found the decrease of antionxidative enzyme activities with aging. In diabetic group, antioxidative enzyme activities were decreased, and the change of hepatic vitamin E was related to glutathione peroxidase activity (r=0.71, p<0.001). Treatment with vitamin E did not modify the level of fasting blood glucose. However, it was observered that glutathione reductase and glutathione peroxidase activities as well as hepatic glutathione levels were increased by vitamie E supplementation, whereas catalase activity did not changed. The present result suggest that high vitamin E supplementation protects against lipid peroxidative damage in diabetic KK mice.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.232-238
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• 2004

Trolox is a hydrophilic analogue of vitamin E. The aim of this study was to investigate its effects on hepatic injury, especially alteration in cytochrome P450 (CYP)-dependent drug metabolism during polymicrobial sepsis. Rats were subjected to polymicrobial sepsis by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). The rats were treated intravenously with Trolox (2.5 mg/kg) or vehicle, immediately after CLP. Serum aminotransferases and lipid peroxidation levels were markedly increased 24 h after CLP. This increase was attenuated by Trolox. Total CYP content and NADPH-P450 reductase activity decreased significantly 24 h after CLP. This decrease in CYP content was attenuated by Trolox. At 24 h after CLP, there was a significant decrease in the activity of these CYP isozymes: CYP1A1, 1A2, 2B1, and 2E1. However, Trolox differentially inhibited the decrease in CYP isozyme activity. Trolox had little effect on the decrease in CYP1A1 activity but Trolox significantly attenuated decreases in CYP1A2 and 2E1 activities. In fact, Trolox restored CYP2B1 activity to the level of activity found in control rats. Our findings suggest that Trolox reduces hepatocellular damage as indicated by abnormalities in hepatic drug-metabolizing function during sepsis. Our data also indicates that this protection is, in part, caused by decreased lipid peroxidation.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.259-263
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• 1996

The preventive effects of ginseng and aloe extract on cigarette smoke-induced hepatotoxicity to Spague-Dawley rats were investigated. The experimental rats were exposed smoke by inhalation for 5 weeks, 3 times per day, and 15 minutes each time. Also ginseng and aloe extract (Group G+A), aloe (Group A) or ginseng (Group G) were administered to each group, but the positive control rats (Group C) were exposed smoke without any other special treatments. Group C showed decreased food intake and increased water consumption. Also the reduction of body weight and the increase in serumAST, ALT, triglyceride and alkaline phosphatase were observed. The relative liver weights of group C were increased and the hepatic parenchyma revealed light brownish red grossly. On histopathologic observation, the hepatocytes of group C animals exhibited diffuse swelling which narrowed the, sinusoidal lumen and disarrayed the hepatic cord-like arrangement. Diffuse necrosis of the hepatocytes was also observed. However, degeneration and necrosis of the hepatocytes were milder in group G+A. In the case of group A, the damage was moderate, while the group G showed marginal improvement from group C. Electronmicroscopically, peroxisome increased and mitochodria decreased in group C. Various hepatic damages related to smoking in group C revealed recovering tendency in group G+A. This study indicated that daily administration of ginseng and aloe could decrease and even prevent cigarette smokeinduced hepatotoxicity.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.403-410
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• 2019

Curcumin, a hydrophobic polyphenol isolated from the Curcuma longa L. plant, has many pharmacological properties, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and chemo-preventive activities. Curcumin has been shown to have potential in preventing nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, the low bioavailability of curcumin has proven to be a major limiting factor in its clinical adoption. Theracurmin, a highly bioavailable curcumin that utilizes micronized technology showed improved biological absorbability in vivo. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of theracurmin in modulating hepatic lipid metabolism in vivo. A fatty liver mouse model was produced by feeding mice a high fat diet (HFD; 60% fat) for 12 weeks. We found that treatment for 12 weeks with theracurmin significantly lowered plasma triacylglycerol (TG) levels and reduced HFD-induced liver fat accumulation. Theracurmin treatment lowered hepatic TG and total cholesterol (T-CHO) levels in HFD-fed mice compared to controls. In addition, theracurmin administration significantly reduced lipid peroxidation and cellular damage caused by reactive oxygen species in HFD-fed mice. Overall, these results suggest that theracurmin has the ability to control lipid metabolism and can potentially serve as an effective therapeutic remedy for the prevention of fatty liver.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.34 no.1 s.132
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• pp.60-64
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• 2003

Solanum lyratum(Solanaceae) has been used as a traditional analgesic, antipyretic and hepatoprotective agents in Korea. In this study, we investigated the hepatoprotective effect of ethylacetate extract of Solanum lyratum (SL) on the dimethylnitrosamine (DMN)-induced liver damage in rats. Oral administration of SL (150, 300 mg/kg daily for 4 weeks) into the DMN-treated rats remarkably prevented the elevation of serum alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase and alkaline phosphatase levels. SL also increased serum protein level and reduced the hepatic level of malondialdehyde in DMN-treated rats. Furthermore, DMN-induced elevation of hydroxyproline content was reduced by the treatment of SL. In conclusion, these results demonstrated that SL exhibited in vivo hepatoprotective effect against DMN-induced liver injury, and suggest that SL may be useful in the prevention of liver damage.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.53-57
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• 2006

The plant Indigofera aspalathoides is used by a large number of tribes in India for the treatment of various hepatic disorders and abscesses. The methanol extract of Indigofera aspalathoides (MEIA) was evaluated for its protective effects on gastric mucosal lesion in Wister albino rats against indomethacin, histamine and ethanol induced gastric mucosal damage. The response to MEIA was assessed using the ulcer index, thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS), and glutahione level. MEIA pretreatment showed protection against chemical induced gastric mucosal damage, a significant reduction in the ulcer index and TBARS activity and increase glutathione level as compared with that of standard drugs.