title: Ex vivo and in vivo investigations of picroliv from Picrorhiza kurroa in an alcohol intoxication model in rats.
abstract: Picroliv, the active constituent isolated from the plant Picrorhiza kurroa, was evaluated as a hepatoprotective agent against ethanol-induced hepatic injury in rats. Alcohol feeding (3.75 g/kg x45 days) produced 20-114% alteration in selected serum (AST, ALT and ALP) and liver markers (lipid, glycogen and protein). Further, it reduced the viability (44-48%) of isolated hepatocytes (ex vivo) as assessed by Trypan blue exclusion and rate of oxygen uptake. Its effect was also seen on specific alcohol-metabolizing enzymes (aldehyde dehydrogenase, 41%; acetaldehyde dehydrogenase, 52%) in rat hepatocytes. The levels of these enzymes were found to be reduced in the cells following alcohol intoxication. Ethyl alcohol also produced cholestasis (41-53%), as indicated by reduction in bile volume, bile salts and bile acids. Picroliv treatment (3-12 mg/kg p.o. x45 days) restored the altered parameters in a dose-dependent manner (36-100%).
authors.affiliation: Division of Pharmacology, Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow, India.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Saraswat
authors.forename: P K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Visen
authors.forename: G K
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Patnaik
authors.forename: B N
authors.initials: BN
authors.lastname: Dhawan
mesh_terms: D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000378:metabolism; D000444:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D000445:Aldehyde Oxidoreductases / Q000378:metabolism; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000378:metabolism; D001646:Bile / Q000187:drug effects; D001647:Bile Acids and Salts / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002779:Cholestasis / Q000139:chemically induced; D002934:Cinnamates / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000633:toxicity*; D006027:Glycosides / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology; D008297:Male; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D014641:Vanillic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents; D001647:Bile Acids and Salts; D002934:Cinnamates; D006027:Glycosides; C057463:kutkin; D000431:Ethanol; D000445:Aldehyde Oxidoreductases; D000444:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase; C018699:aldehyde dehydrogenase (NAD(P)+); D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase; D014641:Vanillic Acid; D010100:Oxygen