title: Novel use of silymarin as delayed therapy for acetaminophen-induced acute hepatic injury.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Recently, we have demonstrated that silymarin has a comparable pharmaceutical activity as Phyllanthus urinaria extract when used to rescue mice from acetaminophen-induced acute liver injury. In the present study, we further compared the therapeutic action of silymarin with N-acetyl cysteine (commonly used in clinical practice for emergency treatments) as a rescuer in mice after administering a lethal dose of acetaminophen for 24 h.
  
  
  METHODS
  Acute liver injury was induced in the treatment groups by intraperitoneally administered acetaminophen at a dose of 550 mg/kg body weight on day 1. The control group received an equal volume of physiological saline intraperitoneally. From day 2 to 4, the treatment groups received various doses of silymarin or N-acetyl cysteine orally once daily, while the control group and the acetaminophen group received an equal volume of water orally. The mortality rate was recorded in all groups. On day 5, all mice were sacrificed for examination.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Silymarin greatly improved the counteracting effects on mortality rate as compared to N-acetyl cysteine.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Silymarin should be further considered as an antidote for patients with acetaminopheninduced acute hepatic injury and delayed treatment.
authors.affiliation: Research and Development Division, School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Desmond Kwok-Po
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Hau
authors.forename: Raymond Siu-Ming
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Gregory Yin-Ming
authors.initials: GY
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Wai-Yeung
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: See-Wai
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Tong
authors.forename: Kit-Wah
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Alexander Kai-Man
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Leung
authors.forename: Guo-Yuan
authors.initials: GY
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Paul Bo-San
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: Fung-Yi
authors.initials: FY
authors.lastname: Lau
authors.forename: Chung-Hin
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Chui
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gambari
authors.forename: David Wan-Fun
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Fong
mesh_terms: D000082:Acetaminophen / Q000633:toxicity*; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D012838:Silymarin / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D012838:Silymarin; D000082:Acetaminophen; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase