Protective effects of Cuscutae semen against dimethylnitrosamine-induced acute liver injury in Sprague-Dawley rats.
We investigated the protective effect of Cuscutae semen (CS) on acute liver injury induced by dimethylnitrosamine (DMN) in Sprague-Dawley rats. CS is an important traditional herbal medicine widely used as a tonic and aphrodisiac to nourish the liver and kidney and to treat impotence and seminal emission. Rats were given a single intraperitoneal injection of DMN (40 mg/kg), and were then treated with CS daily by oral gavage for 4 d. Immunohistochemical studies for alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA) and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) were performed, along with hydroxyproline and biological assay. Liver injury caused by DMN-injection was significantly inhibited in the CS-treated group compared to the silymarin-treated group. The results of blood biological assay were significantly protected by CS in serum total protein (T-protein), T-bilirubin (T-bili), D-bilirubin (D-bili), GOT, GPT, and ALP. The hydroxyproline content and amount of active alpha-SMA and PCNA were significantly decreased in the CS-treated group than in the silymarin-treated group. CS exhibited an in vivo hepatoprotective effect and anti-fibrogenic effects against DMN-induced acute liver injury and inhibited the formation of hydroxyproline, which suggests that CS may be useful in preventing fibrogenesis after liver injury.
Kim
Eun-Young
EY
Department of Anatomy, College of Oriental Medicine, Kyung Hee University, 1 Hoegi-dong, Dongdaemun-gu, 130-701 Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Kim
Eun Kyoung
EK
Lee
Hyun-Sam
HS
Sohn
Youngjoo
Y
Soh
Yunjo
Y
Jung
Hyuk-Sang
HS
Sohn
Nak-Won
NW
D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism; D000477:Alkylating Agents / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000633:toxicity*; D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004128:Dimethylnitrosamine / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000633:toxicity*; D006909:Hydroxyproline / Q000378:metabolism; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry*; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012015:Reference Standards
D000199:Actins; D000477:Alkylating Agents; D004128:Dimethylnitrosamine; D006909:Hydroxyproline; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen; C498862:Acta2 protein, rat