title: Hepatoprotective effect of Amomum xanthoides against dimethylnitrosamine-induced sub-chronic liver injury in a rat model.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Amomum xanthioides Wall. ex Baker (Zingiberaceae) is a tropical medicinal plant that is commonly utilized in the treatment of digestive system disorders in Asia for a long time.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to evaluate the hepatoprotective effect and related mechanisms of A. xanthoides.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sub-chronic liver injury was induced by dimethylnitrosamine (DMN, 10 mg/kg, three times per week for 3 weeks, i.p.) in rats. Water extract of A. xanthoides (WAX, 50 and 100 mg/kg) was given once a day for 3 weeks.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  WAX (100 mg/kg) significantly attenuated the DMN-induced excessive release of alanine aminotransferase (123.6 IU/L), aspartate aminotransferase (227.9 IU/L), alkaline phosphatase (820.9 IU/L) and total bilirubin (0.50 g/dL) in serum (p < 0.01), and hydroxyproline (30.5 mg/g tissue) and malondialdehyde (MDA) (53.6 μM/g tissue) contents (p < 0.01) in liver tissue. Furthermore, WAX significantly ameliorated the depletion of total antioxidant capacity (2.54 μM/mg tissue), superoxide dismutase (0.30 U/mg tissue), glutathione (2.10 μM/mg tissue) and catalase (605.0 U/mg tissue) activities (p < 0.05 or p < 0.01) in liver tissue. Histopathological and immunohistochemical analyses indicated that WAX markedly reduced inflammation, necrosis, collagen accumulation and activation of hepatic satellite cells in the liver. Our findings demonstrated that A. xanthoides exerts favorable hepatoprotective effects via positive regulation of the antioxidative system.
authors.affiliation: Liver and Immunology Research Center, Institute of Traditional Medicine and Bioscience of Daejeon University, Daejeon, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jing-Hua
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Min-Kyung
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Dong-Soo
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jong-Min
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Chang-Gue
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Son
mesh_terms: D035801:Amomum / Q000737:chemistry*; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism*; D004128:Dimethylnitrosamine / Q000633:toxicity; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D055166:Hepatic Stellate Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D008518:Medicine, East Asian Traditional; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020011:Protective Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D010936:Plant Extracts; D020011:Protective Agents; D004128:Dimethylnitrosamine