Protective activity of phyllanthin in ethanol-treated primary culture of rat hepatocytes.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the protective effect of phyllanthin (a known principal constituent of Phyllanthus amarus Schum. et Thonn.) on ethanol-induced rat liver cell injury.


METHODS
Primary culture of rat hepatocytes (24h culturing) were pretreated with phyllanthin (1, 2, 3 and 4 microg/ml) for 24h. After 24h pretreatment, cells were treated with ethanol (80 microl/ml) for 2h.


RESULTS
Ethanol decreased %MTT, increased the release of transaminases (ALT and AST) with the increase in the production of intracellular ROS and lipid peroxidation. Phyllanthin demonstrated its role in protection by antagonizing the above effect induced by ethanol. Phyllanthin also restored the antioxidant capability of rat hepatocytes including level of total glutathione, and activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione reductase (GR) which were reduced by ethanol.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggested the hepatoprotective effect of phyllanthin against ethanol-induced oxidative stress causing rat liver cell damage through its antioxidant activity.
Chirdchupunseree
Hemvala
H
Pharmacological Action of Natural Products Research Unit, Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, PhyaThai Road, Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand.
Pramyothin
Pornpen
P
D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D005980:Glutathione Reductase / Q000378:metabolism; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D017705:Lignans / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation; D008297:Male; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism
D017705:Lignans; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D000431:Ethanol; C517985:phyllanthin; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D005980:Glutathione Reductase