Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge and its active component cryptotanshinone protects primary cultured rat hepatocytes from acute ethanol-induced cytotoxicity and fatty infiltration.
Alcoholic liver disease involves hepatocellular injury induced by the acute or chronic consumption of ethanol. Fatty infiltration is usually followed by inflammation and focal necrosis, which can lead to cirrhosis if not treated properly in the initial stage. There have been many attempts to develop effective therapies for the disease, using natural products derived from medicinal plants. In this study, we report that the standardized fraction of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge (Sm-SF) and its active component, cryptotanshinone, were able to protect hepatocytes from lipopolysaccharide- and ethanol-induced cell death. They also suppressed ethanol-induced lipid accumulation as evidenced by the Nile red binding assay. The ethanol-induced activation and nuclear translocation of sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1 and the consequent transactivation of the target genes involved in fatty acid biosynthesis were inhibited by Sm-SF and cryptotanshinone in a dose-dependent manner. Cryptotanshinone, an active component of S. miltiorrhiza, has the potential to ameliorate alcoholic liver disease by blocking hepatic cell death and fatty acid synthesis.
Yin
Hu-Quan
HQ
College of Pharmacy and Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Seoul National University, San 56-1, Sillim-dong, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 151-742, Republic of Korea.
Choi
You-Jin
YJ
Kim
Youn-Chul
YC
Sohn
Dong-Hwan
DH
Ryu
Shi-Yong
SY
Lee
Byung-Hoon
BH
D000818:Animals; D016923:Cell Death / Q000187:drug effects; D002460:Cell Line; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003603:Cytotoxins / Q000633:toxicity; D000431:Ethanol / Q000633:toxicity*; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D050356:Lipid Metabolism / Q000187:drug effects; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D010616:Phenanthrenes / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D027561:Salvia miltiorrhiza / Q000737:chemistry*
D003603:Cytotoxins; D010616:Phenanthrenes; D010936:Plant Extracts; D000431:Ethanol; C037886:cryptotanshinone