title: Hepatoprotective effects of Arctium lappa on carbon tetrachloride- and acetaminophen-induced liver damage.
abstract: The root of Arctium lappa Linne (A. lappa) (Compositae), a perennial herb, has been cultivated for a long time as a popular vegetable. In order to investigate the hepatoprotective effects of A. lappa, male ICR mice were injected with carbon tetrachloride (CCl4, 32 microl/kg, i.p.) or acetaminophen (600 mg/kg, i.p.). A. lappa suppressed the SGOT and SGPT elevations induced by CCl4 or acetaminophen in a dose-dependent manner and alleviated the severity of liver damage based on histopathological observations. In an attempt to elucidate the possible mechanism(s) of this hepatoprotective effect, glutathione (GSH), cytochrome P-450 (P-450) and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents were studied. A. lappa reversed the decrease in GSH and P-450 induced by CCl4 and acetaminophen. It was also found that A. lappa decreased the malondialdehyde (MDA) content in CCl4 or acetaminophen-intoxicated mice. From these results, it was suggested that A. lappa could protect the liver cells from CCl4 or acetaminophen-induced liver damages, perhaps by its antioxidative effect on hepatocytes, hence eliminating the deleterious effects of toxic metabolites from CCl4 or acetaminophen.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Taipei Medical College, Taiwan.
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: T C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: C C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: T H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Ueng
authors.forename: Y H
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: S Y
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: L Y
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000082:Acetaminophen / Q000633:toxicity; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D019659:Asteraceae; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride / Q000633:toxicity; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage; D018517:Plant Roots; D011042:Poisons / Q000633:toxicity
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D010936:Plant Extracts; D011042:Poisons; D000082:Acetaminophen; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride