title: Hepatoprotective Evaluation of Ganoderma lucidum Pharmacopuncture: In vivo Studies of Ethanol-induced Acute Liver Injury.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Alcohol abuse is a public issue and one of the major causes of liver disease worldwide. This study was aimed at investigating the protective effect of Ganoderma lucidum pharmacopuncture (GLP) against hepatotoxicity induced by acute ethanol (EtOH) intoxication in rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were divided into 4 groups of 8 animals each: normal, control, normal saline pharmacopuncture (NP) and GLP groups. The control, NP and GLP groups received ethanol orally. The NP and the GLP groups were treated daily with injections of normal saline and Ganoderma lucidum extract, respectively. The control group received no treatment. The rats in all groups, except the normal group, were intoxicated for 6 hours by oral administration of EtOH (6 g/kg BW). The same volume of distilled water was administered to the rats in the normal group. Two local acupoints were used: Qimen (LR14) and Taechung (LR3). A histopathological analysis was performed, and the liver function and the activities of antioxidant enzymes were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  GLP treatment reduced the histological changes due to acute liver injury induced by EtOH and significantly reduced the increase in the alanine aminotransferase (ALT) enzyme; however, it had an insignificant effect in reducing the increase in aspartate aminotransferase (AST) enzyme. It also significantly ameliorated the superoxide dismutase (SOD) and the catalase (CAT) activities.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study suggests that GLP treatment is effective in protecting against ethanol-induced acute hepatic injury in SD rats by modulating the activities of ethanol-metabolizing enzymes and by attenuating oxidative stress.
authors.affiliation: Department of Acupuncture & Moxibution, College of Korean Medicine and Research Institute of Korean Medicine, Dong-Eui University, Busan, Korea.
authors.forename: Sun-Hee
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.affiliation: Department of Oriental Rehabilitation Medicine, College of Korean Medicine, Dong-Eui University, Busan, Korea.
authors.forename: Sung-Woo
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.affiliation: Department of Acupuncture & Moxibution, College of Korean Medicine and Research Institute of Korean Medicine, Dong-Eui University, Busan, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyun-Min
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.affiliation: Department of Acupuncture & Moxibution, College of Korean Medicine and Research Institute of Korean Medicine, Dong-Eui University, Busan, Korea.
authors.forename: Kyung-Jeon
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.affiliation: Department of Acupuncture & Moxibution, College of Korean Medicine and Research Institute of Korean Medicine, Dong-Eui University, Busan, Korea.
authors.forename: Chun-Ho
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: Department of Acupuncture & Moxibution, College of Korean Medicine and Research Institute of Korean Medicine, Dong-Eui University, Busan, Korea.
authors.forename: Cheol-Hong
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Kim
keywords: Ganoderma lucidum pharmacopuncture (GLP); acute liver injury; aminotransferase; catalase; superoxide dismutase