title: In vitro and in vivo hepatoprotective and antioxidant activity of ethanolic extract from Meconopsis integrifolia (Maxim.) Franch.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Meconopsis integrifolia (Maxim.) Franch is a high mountain endemic species used as a traditional Tibetan and Mongolian herb to treat hepatitis, pneumonia, and edema. This study aims to investigate the hepatoprotective and antioxidant effects of Meconopsis integrifolia ethanolic extract (MIE) in vitro and in vivo.
  
  
  METHODS
  The in vitro antioxidant property of MIE was investigated by employing various established systems. Rats with carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced liver injury were used to assess the hepatoprotective and antioxidant effect of MIE in vivo. The level or activity of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), glutamate pyruvate transaminase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and total bilirubin (TB) in the blood serum and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione (GSH) in the liver and kidney of the rats were assayed using standard procedures.
  
  
  RESULTS
  MIE exhibited strong antioxidant ability in vitro. In the rats with CCl4-induced liver injury, the groups treated with MIE and silymarin showed significantly lower levels of ALT, AST, ALP, and TB. MIE demonstrated good antioxidant activities in both the liver and kidney of the rats in vivo.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MIE exhibits excellent hepatoprotective effects and antioxidant activities in vitro and in vivo, supporting the traditional use of Meconopsis integrifolia in the treatment of hepatitis.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery (Wuhan University), Ministry of Education, and Institute of TCM & Natural Products, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, PR China.
authors.forename: Gao
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Yuxin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Song
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Xingcheng
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: Youwei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002252:Carbon Tetrachloride Poisoning / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism; D000431:Ethanol / Q000737:chemistry; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D019800:Phenol / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D005419:Flavonoids; D010936:Plant Extracts; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances; D019800:Phenol; D000431:Ethanol