Ursolic acid isolated from Eucalyptus tereticornis protects against ethanol toxicity in isolated rat hepatocytes.
Ursolic acid is the active material isolated from the leaves of the Eucalyptus hybrid E. tereticornis. In the present study, it has shown a significant preventive effect in vitro against ethanol-induced toxicity in isolated rat hepatocytes. Compared with the incubation of isolated hepatocytes with ethanol only, the simultaneous presence of ursolic acid in the cell suspension preserved the viability of hepatocytes and reversed the ethanol-induced loss in the level of all the marker enzymes (AST, ALT and AP) studied. Ethanol alone resulted in a 48%-54% decrease in the viability and a 42%-54% reduction in the biochemical parameters of the hepatocytes. Ursolic acid showed a concentration dependent (1-100 microg/mL) preventive effect (12%-76%) on alcohol-induced hepatocyte toxicity by restoring the altered parameters. The results thus suggest the effective use of an in vitro test system as an alternative for in vivo assessment of hepatoprotective activity of purified material.
Saraswat
B
B
Division of Pharmacology, Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow - 226001, India.
Visen
P K
PK
Agarwal
D P
DP
D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000378:metabolism; D000426:Alcohol Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000378:metabolism; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D000431:Ethanol / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000633:toxicity*; D005052:Eucalyptus; D005260:Female; D008099:Liver / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000187:drug effects; D018515:Plant Leaves; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D014315:Triterpenes / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000097245:Ursolic Acid
D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D000426:Alcohol Dehydrogenase; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000431:Ethanol; D014315:Triterpenes; D000097245:Ursolic Acid