title: Stimulatory effects of silibinin and silicristin from the milk thistle Silybum marianum on kidney cells.
abstract: The biochemical influence of flavonolignans from the milk thistle Silybum marianum has been tested on kidney cells of African green monkeys. Two nonmalignant cell lines were selected, with the focus of the work on the fibroblast-like Vero line. Proliferation rate, biosynthesis of protein and DNA, and the activity of the enzyme lactate dehydrogenase (as a measure of the cellular metabolic activity) were chosen as parameters for the effect of the flavonolignans. Silibinin and silicristin show remarkable stimulatory effects on these parameters, mainly in Vero cells; however, isosilibinin and silidianin proved to be inactive. In vitro experiments with kidney cells damaged by paracetamol, cisplatin, and vincristin demonstrated that administration of silibinin before or after the chemical-induced injury can lessen or avoid the nephrotoxic effects. The results warrant in vivo evaluations of the flavonolignan derivatives.
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Institute for Biochemistry, Martinsried, Germany.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sonnenbichler
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Scalera
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sonnenbichler
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Weyhenmeyer
mesh_terms: D000082:Acetaminophen / Q000633:toxicity; D000818:Animals; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000633:toxicity; D004247:DNA / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects*; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry; D020011:Protective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D012838:Silymarin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014709:Vero Cells; D014750:Vincristine / Q000633:toxicity
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts; D020011:Protective Agents; D012838:Silymarin; D000082:Acetaminophen; D014750:Vincristine; D004247:DNA; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase; C015504:silychristin; D002945:Cisplatin