title: Water-soluble polysaccharide from Eleutherococcus senticosus stems attenuates fulminant hepatic failure induced by D-galactosamine and lipopolysaccharide in mice.
abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate whether Eleutherococcus senticosus stems could attenuate D-galactosamine/lipopolysaccharide-induced fulminant hepatic failure in mice. E. senticosus, known as Siberian ginseng, is a popular folk medicine used as a tonic in Asia. Preparations of E. senticosus used in this study were as follows; (i) 70% ethanol extract (ii) water extract (iii) ethanol-soluble part of the water extract (iv) polysaccharide obtained as an 80% ethanol insoluble of the water extract. Preparations were given by intraperitoneal (300 mg/kg and 50 mg/kg) or oral (300 mg/kg) injection at 12 hr and 1 hr before a D-galactosamine/lipopolysaccharide injection. The intraperitoneal injection of water extract and polysaccharide significantly lowered serum levels of tumour necrosis factor-alpha, aspartate transaminase and alanine transaminase, improved the histologic changes in liver, inhibited hepatocyte apoptosis confirmed by the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end-labeling method and DNA fragmentation assay, and suppressed the lethality induced by D-galactosamine/lipopolysaccharide. The oral administration of water extract and polysaccharide also reduced serum aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase and tumour necrosis factor-alpha levels. In contrast 70% ethanol extract and ethanol-soluble part of the water extract had no protective effect when treated intraperitoneally or orally. These results indicate E. senticosus stems attenuate fulminant hepatic failure induced by D-galactosamine/lipopolysaccharide in mice and the protective effect is due to water-soluble polysaccharides in E. senticosus stems.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, Wonkwang University, Iksan, Jeonbuk 570-749, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Eun-Jeon
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Ji-Xing
authors.initials: JX
authors.lastname: Nan
authors.forename: Yu-Zhe
authors.initials: YZ
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Sung Hee
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Young Ho
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jeong Bum
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Nam
authors.forename: Jung Joon
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Dong Hwan
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Sohn
mesh_terms: D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D053938:DNA Fragmentation / Q000187:drug effects; D028001:Eleutherococcus / Q000737:chemistry; D005688:Galactosamine; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D017093:Liver Failure / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use* / Q000633:toxicity; D018547:Plant Stems / Q000737:chemistry; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000627:therapeutic use* / Q000633:toxicity; D020011:Protective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use* / Q000633:toxicity; D012995:Solubility; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D010936:Plant Extracts; D011134:Polysaccharides; D020011:Protective Agents; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D005688:Galactosamine; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase