Hepatoprotective effect of Hypericum japonicum extract and its fractions.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the hepatoprotective activity of different parts of Hypericum japonicum against carbon tetrachloride(CCl(4))-induced hepatitis and alpha-naphthyl-isothiocyanate (ANIT)-induced cholestasis.


METHODS
Mice were divided into groups and then administrated orally with solutions extracted from herbs before they were modeled in the experiments. Levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and total bilirubin (T-BIL) in serum were evaluated. HPLC fingerprint was used for phytochemical analysis of the extracts.


RESULTS
The total aqueous extract of Hypericum japonicum had an obvious effect on the decreasing of AST, ALT and T-BIL levels in serum. The isolated fraction IV (F4) exhibited a preferable activity of ameliorating cholestasis, while Fraction V (F5) was more efficacious in protecting liver from injury. Chemical fingerprint indicated that F5 contained several flavonoids which might be the active chemicals against hepatotoxicity.


CONCLUSIONS
Different fractions of Hypericum japonicum manifest different effect, indicating their different potentials as candidacies of new drugs.
Wang
Ning
N
Guangzhou Quality R&D Center of Traditional Chinese Medicine, School of Life Science, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, PR China.
Li
Peibo
P
Wang
Yonggang
Y
Peng
Wei
W
Wu
Zhong
Z
Tan
Suiyi
S
Liang
Shaoling
S
Shen
Xiao
X
Su
WeiWei
W
D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride / Q000633:toxicity; D002780:Cholestasis, Intrahepatic / Q000188:drug therapy; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D005260:Female; D020902:Hypericum / Q000737:chemistry*; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020011:Protective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*
D010936:Plant Extracts; D020011:Protective Agents; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase