title: Kampo formula "Hochu-ekki-to" suppressed carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatotoxicity in mice.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to investigate whether pretreatment with the Japanese herbal medicine "Hochu-ekki-to" (TJ-41) has an ameliorative effect on carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced hepatotoxicity through anorexia prevention.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-four hours before CCl4injection, TJ-41 or saline solution was intraperitoneally administered. Furthermore, 24 h after TJ-41 injection, mice were intraperitoneally administered 1.6 g/kg CCl4or olive oil. Moreover, 24 h after CCl4/olive oil injection, mice from each group were euthanized and bled for plasma analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mice injected with CCl4exhibited severe anorexia. Moreover, CCl4increased the plasma levels of hepatic injury markers (i.e., alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase) as well as lipid peroxidation and hepatic Ca levels. Pretreatment with TJ-41 recovered the CCl4-induced anorexia and plasma levels of the hepatic injury markers. Moreover, CCl4-induced lipid peroxidation and hepatic Ca levels decreased upon TJ-41 pretreatment. In addition, hepatic metallothionein levels in the TJ-41 + CCl4-treated group were decreased by >50 % compared with the levels in the TJ-41-treated group, implying that metallothionein was consumed by CCl4-induced radicals.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that TJ-41 attenuates CCl4-induced hepatotoxicity, presumably by the induction of metallothionein, which in turn scavenges radicals induced by CCl4exposure.
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, Kinjo Gakuin University, 2-1723 Omori, Moriyamaku, Nagoya, 463-8521, Aichi, Japan. h-yoshioka@kinjo-u.ac.jp.|Faculty of Nutrition, Kobe Gakuin University, 518 Arise, Ikawadani-cho, Nishi-ku, Kobe, 651-2180, Hyogo, Japan. h-yoshioka@kinjo-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Hiroki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yoshioka
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, Kinjo Gakuin University, 2-1723 Omori, Moriyamaku, Nagoya, 463-8521, Aichi, Japan.
authors.forename: Shiori
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fukaya
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Nutrition, Kobe Gakuin University, 518 Arise, Ikawadani-cho, Nishi-ku, Kobe, 651-2180, Hyogo, Japan.
authors.forename: Satomi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Onosaka
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, Kinjo Gakuin University, 2-1723 Omori, Moriyamaku, Nagoya, 463-8521, Aichi, Japan.
authors.forename: Tsunemasa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nonogaki
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, Kinjo Gakuin University, 2-1723 Omori, Moriyamaku, Nagoya, 463-8521, Aichi, Japan. anagatsu@kinjo-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Akito
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nagatsu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002252:Carbon Tetrachloride Poisoning / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D020835:Medicine, Kampo; D051379:Mice
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; C402943:bu-zhong-yi-qi-tang
keywords: Carbon-tetrachloride; Hochu-ekki-to; Liver; Oxidative stress