title: Antioxidant and hepatoprotective actions of the medicinal herb Artemisia campestris from the Okinawa Islands.
abstract: The antioxidant action of Artemisia campestris was examined in vitro and in vivo. A water extract of A. campestris showed a strong scavenging action of 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), hydroxyl and superoxide anion radicals. When the extract was given intraperitoneally to mice prior to carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) treatment, CCl4-induced liver toxicity, as seen by an elevation of serum aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase activities, was significantly reduced. Depression of the elevation of serum enzyme levels after CCl4-treatment was also observed by oral administration of the extract. In that case, CCl4-derived lipid peroxidation in the liver was decreased by the extract treatment. These results suggest that the extract of A. campestris scavenges radicals formed by CCl4 treatment resulting in protection against CCl4-induced liver toxicity.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Physiology and Pharmacology, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of the Ryukyus, Nishihara, Okinawa, Japan.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Aniya
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shimabukuro
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shimoji
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kohatsu
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Gyamfi
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Miyagi
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kunii
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Takayama
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Egashira
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019306:Artemisia / Q000737:chemistry*; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride / Q000633:toxicity; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects*; D051379:Mice; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D010936:Plant Extracts; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride