title: Antihepatotoxic activity of icariin, a major constituent of Epimedium koreanum.
abstract: In an attempt to identify compounds with antihepatotoxic activity, carbon tetrachloride-induced cytotoxicity in primary cultured rat hepatocytes has been adopted as a screening system. Using this screening system, an antihepatotoxic compound from the aerial parts of Epimedium koreanum has been isolated. This compound, icariin, is a flavonol glycoside. Its antihepatotoxic activity was first evaluated by measuring the release of glutamic pyruvic transaminase and sorbitol dehydrogenase from CCl4-intoxicated rat hepatocytes into the culture medium. Icariin significantly reduced the level of glutamic pyruvic transaminase and sorbitol dehydrogenase released resulting in a 76% protection from toxicity at concentration ranges from 1 microM to 20 microM. The antihepatotoxic activity of icariin was also estimated by the determination of total cytochrome P-450 content and glutathione-S-transferase activity in the CCl4-intoxicated hepatocytes.
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, Korea.
authors.forename: M K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Y J
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Sung
authors.forename: D I
authors.initials: DI
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Y C
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride / Q000633:toxicity*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008099:Liver / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D005419:Flavonoids; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride; C056599:icariin