title: Choleretic effects of the Mongolian medicinal plant Saussurea amara in the isolated perfused rat liver.
abstract: Saussurea amara is used in traditional Mongolian medicine for the treatment of hepato-biliary disorders. To determine the plant's effect on the bile-salt independent bile flow (hydrocholeresis) as a measure of liver exocrine functions, different extracts were investigated in the isolated rat liver perfusion system. The methanolic extract (3) exerted a dose-dependent increase in bile flow (16%, 37%, 53%, 61%) in concentrations of 50 mg/L, 100 mg/L, 250 mg/L and 500 mg/L. The aqueous crude extract (1) and the ethyl acetate extract (2) also showed a dose-dependent increase, whereas at the highest concentrations (1000 mg/L and 100 mg/L, respectively) a continuous decrease in bile flow could be observed. Cynaropicrin also provoked a dose-dependent increase in bile flow, but caused liver damage at the highest dose tested (20 mg/L). Apigenin 7- O-glucoside, present in extracts 2 and 3, induced a dose-dependent increase of 20%, 30% and 40% (5 mg/L, 10 mg/L, 20 mg/L) and showed a significantly higher effect than the reference substance cynarin. The total flavonoid content was determined by spectrophotometry. To quantify the absolute amount of cynaropicrin in the crude drug and in the tested extracts, an HLPC system was established with santonin as internal standard.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacognosy, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria. sabine.glasl@univie.ac.at
authors.forename: Sabine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Glasl
authors.forename: Damba
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tsendayush
authors.forename: Usukhbayar
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Batchimeg
authors.forename: Nina
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Holec
authors.forename: Esther
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Wurm
authors.forename: Christa
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kletter
authors.forename: Disan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gunbilig
authors.forename: Khurelbat
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Daariimaa
authors.forename: Samdan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Narantuya
authors.forename: Theresia
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Thalhammer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001646:Bile / Q000378:metabolism; D002756:Cholagogues and Choleretics / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D008986:Mongolia; D008517:Phytotherapy; D035261:Plant Components, Aerial; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D030441:Saussurea
chemical_list: D002756:Cholagogues and Choleretics; D010936:Plant Extracts